Grimoire
by Sardonic Grin
Summary: The Past: Youko and Hiei come across two displaced demons who were attacked by humans: the wolf demon, Kira, and her adoptive sister, Ophelia. As the pair of sisters attempt to heal from the traumatic destruction of their pack, Ophelia's mysterious powers leave many to question "what are you"...if not a demon at all.
1. Birth of the Cruel

Grimoire

Prelude

_Humans._

_Demons._

_Competing for an absent father's attention. _

_How little they understand_

_Merely pawns in a greater war. _

_We watch them devour each other on the board _

_Waiting._

Chapter One: Birth of the Cruel

Demon World: 1910

The red sky scorched. The sounds of flames crackling over wood and brush echoed for miles; about as far as the last of the Nisshoku pack fled before the taste of burning flesh that ate away at the back of her throat, finally made way to her overachieving lungs. The new sensation seized her senses and all it took was a poorly (or intentionally) placed root from the black tree to send her tumbling down a hill of thorns from a sea of unnatural red roses.

She tensed her arms around the small body that was seemingly fused to her chest as she fell. The skin of her exposed arms and legs frayed like ribbons, sprinkling her olive skin with small cuts until her body finally ended its descent against a black tree that scraped the bleeding sky. Her entire body felt like shattered glass. Her skull pulsating, but she didn't go black. Bile climbed her throat and burned the already wounded flesh with more fire.

She sputtered a curse toward the sky from two chapped lips. Panting, she looks down at the child cradled in her bruised arms. Her breathing was alarmingly slow and strained. The older woman's black hair cascaded like a still waterfall around her younger companion- as if a barrier meant to shield her tiny form. Had the child's eyes been open, she would be gifted with the force of calmness from two familiar brown iris' that had always-including this moment- been so assured and confident. Everything a lost six-year-old needed to feel safe.

But those eyes were mere buttons about to burst, taking apart the whole woman with them. And in turn…

A sharp snap alerted the wolf-demon to three disgustingly human scents that invaded her heightened nostrils and momentarily overpowered the smell of her fallen pack's flesh.

"I told you I saw one running this way."

"Who grows roses in this shit hole?"

"Shut up," a hoarse voice scolded from entirely too close to the woman's ears.

_Did they come from behind?_ She silently chastised herself for her lack of awareness.

"Why?!" The second voice exclaimed as he navigated the thorny death trap, judging from the expletives that followed.

"We don't want to alert any other survivors to her whereabouts," a pause, "Good work, J, on tracking the bitch- she's the one who took out five of our men."

"Yes, sir. She isn't lookin' too good." The first voice approached her left; she kept her eyes locked on the child.

One on her left.

One on her right.

One in front. Landing on his feet.

Her panting gave her life away. Her demon energy spent on the aforementioned five men adorning blue uniforms. Five men that had taken out ten women and children each, after their friends executed the men in front of their wives and children. She shudders and shuts her eyes. Her leg was contorted in a form unnatural to her being.

And they know it.

Their footsteps danced around her. Their voices lowered. Wondering what to do first, perhaps? Have their way with what was left of her body, like so many before them did to her friends. Before slitting their throats or burning them alive.

She could still hear them screaming. A curse passed down from her species. _What big ears you have…_

"Please," she managed to stutter past the desert that befallen her mouth. All three sets of footsteps immediately halted. "Please, spare the child." She coughed to a chorus of laughter.

She raised her head despite her neck protesting any and all movements. The three of them lacked the ruggedness in their smooth faces that comes with being soldiers of death. Two had matching jester smiles. The one to the right of her, however, whose eyes had sunk into a narrow smirk that matched his smile. He was the orchestrator of death.

He meets her eyes. "The child?" He mocked as he slowly approaches the pair on the floor, taking a knee directly in front of them.

Her brain kept yelling demands to her legs, which twitched pathetically as the human placed a knee directly between them. Rocks had formed in her lungs in the absence of fresh air. And had there been any water left in her body, maybe she could have cried. Instead she hoped her body would turn to dust and merge with the ash that had once been her family.

Freedom.

She could muster a smile if the captain wasn't so close that she could feel the heat radiate off his skin.

Sick.

She wanted to be sick.

"That child," his voice crackles like wood aflame, "is the reason we bothered with your pack." He points a thick finger at the package nestled against her body. "If it wasn't for her, we probably wouldn't have even bothered."

She knitted her eyebrows; her face flushed.

"Someone," he continued, "wanted her enough they paid over one million yen. One million- that's how much your people were worth."

Her arms faltered ever so slightly. He moves his index finger directly to her forehead. "Sorry to say, you on the other hand, are worth nothing. The warmth of his kai washed over her. A small blue light shun from the tip of his fat, ugly, finger.

She could laugh if she had any will left.

Then she closed her eyes, expecting the darkness to last...forever.


	2. No One Knows

Chapter Two: No One Knows

Their screams tore through the air. The familiar sound of metal against bone; guttural, yet...refined. Warm liquid splashed against her face, adding another hue of red to the black and blues of her tan canvas. She felt the earth shake even before her would-be executioners fell to the floor.

She waited... for the death cries to evaporate in the wind. For the sounds of flesh being torn apart like paper to subside into sounds rushing blood. And then after, waited for the new intruders to make the presence known. Instead, silence. The hum of the distant fire fading. She slowly opened one eye- the one that cemented shut with a layer of human blood. Where the leader of the human murderers had once been with his sardonic eyes and index finger was a child. A child no older than the tiny girl in her arms with almond shaped eyes that matched the demon world sky. He stood over her, unflinching, holding a sword taller than he, covered in fresh kill. His cape moved violently against the wind. The dark circles under his red and small scowl clashed with the smooth, young lines of his face.

She was engrossed in his form- the confusion it brought- that she neglected the two men that stood just a few yards behind him, on either side, whose silver attire were free of blood despite the mangled corpses lying at their feet.

"How is she looking, Hiei?" The gentleman on the right of her asked. She darted her eyes to the new stranger. He stood firm like a young tree, with brown wild hair that almost swallowed two dog years. A tail whipping at flies and insects that dared get too close. He was lean, all muscle, like most of the canine demons. But his eyes...green, seemed to glow against the muted sun.

"They," the boy corrects, "there's two. One's a child."

The dog demon snaps his head to the other man, and she followed.

Her blood runs cold. A nightmare stands off to the side, towering over his kill like a giant. A cautionary bedtime story her father would tell the children over the fire. His long silver hair barely acknowledges the wind as if weighed down by its own length. Golden eyes permanently narrowed stare right into her very core igniting both fear…and comfort. She always thought this was how a natural death felt. Warm like an embrace and cold like hell. All at once.

"We have to take them," the dog demon declared.

"Do we now?" His voice was low, chilling.

"She has a child with her-"

"They brought humans too close," he finally moved his eyes to meet the dog, "are you suggesting we endanger the few numbers we have for a foolish wolf and her pup?"

"And are you suggesting we leave them here to die?"

"We could end their suffering."

The dog demon didn't seem shocked by this worrisome declaration. He shook his head, "You've grown cold in your old age, Youko-"

The silver haired demon snapped through clenched teeth, "what did I say-" He paused and moved his arms over his chest. Slowly. Regaining his emotionless composure.

Eclipsed by the infamous thief, Youko Kurama, she failed to notice the young boy moved closer, bending down to get a better look at the small pile of skin and bone in her arms. He reached to touch her inflamed arm that blistered and boiled before him but was snatched by her protector.

"What is she?" Hiei asked.

"E-e-excuse me?" She tripped over her own words, unable to bring them above a whisper.

"She is not one of you," he states flatly, pointing to her canine ears without looking away from the child's arm. "What is she?"

She sat up straight, trying to muffle a groan from her lips, and regained what little dignity she had left, "you're right, she is not a wolf, but she is my sister all the same."

"Hrm," Youko sighed, "Leave it to a wolf demon to adopt a human."

"She is not a human, either!" She attempted to muster some fire in her voice but settled for a whine as her vocal cords protested their use.

"We do not have the privilege of debating that at this location," the dog jumped in, now looking back towards the smoke, his hair bristling. "The screams have stopped- they could be on the move."

"Then let's make haste and dispose of them before we are discovered," Youko paused, "_Jameson_."

"So now we kill our own kind!" Jameson seethed.

"You spoke my name to her. Their blood can be on your hands now."

"Pathetic," Hiei's voice sounded like pebbles trying to be boulders, as he captured the two feuding demons wavering attention. He never pulled his gazed from the young girl, as he directed his impatience to the fox demon. He reached again for the girl, this time her sister didn't move. "I'll take her. You have a bone sticking out of your leg…" he stated matter-of-factly, "James will carry you."

"Will he now?" Youko betrays himself with a snicker, "Are our new guests blessed with names or shall we call them female and child?"

Hiei doesn't acknowledge the older man's taunt. "What's your name?"

She paused. Hiei, the small child with red eyes that smelled of fire and whose skin was ice, showed no fear of the seven-foot tall, 300 year old, bandit- whose mere name sent shivers down the spine of even the most battle hardened demon.

And with the captain words swimming through her head. Her packs blood still fresh upon her hands…

"Ophelia," she finally whispered, "My name is Kira."

"Hn," Hiei gathered the child into his arms, easily despite their similar size, "nice name."

She smiled as she let go.


	3. What Happened to You?

Chapter Three: What Happened to You?

The village was nestled in the center of a neutral territory- a non-verbal agreement amongst the demon tribes that settled there to stay out of each other's business. No overpowered demon lords to establish rules and regulations, that they themselves would see fit to break if the occasion called for it. Just a handful of tribes, or packs, turned villages with their own honor code. The Nisshoku pack, comprised exclusively of wolf demons, owned the smallest area deep within the black forest. They occupied their little nook for generations and never attempted to establish communication with the fairly new cluster of demons who took up shop a mere two miles from them. For their own self-preservation? Perhaps.

Not that it mattered anymore.

Two miles from home, Kira finally opened her brown eyes and was met with the ceiling of a manka* as opposed to the bleeding red sky. Her heart started to race as her brain attempted to piece together how she came upon this strange scenery. But all she was granted was murky memories of the black woods that surrounded her pack, red eyes, silver hair. The fire and her sister in her arms.

_Ophelia_

She tries to feel for her tiny adopted sibling but is met with the air of emptiness. Frantic, she jumped up- mistake.

She heard the crack simultaneously as she felt the rush of pain shoot from her left leg, up her spine, to her mouth which let out a brutal scream. She collapsed onto the floor, trying to keep herself from blacking out again. Coldness enveloped her as sweat fell profusely from her head. Panting heavily she dared to look at her leg.

"I wouldn't look if I was you," the voice was calm. She snapped her head towards the doorway as the tall, brown haired, dog demon walked through holding a bowl of hot water.

Kira took a deep breath, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall, "Is it bad?"

James sighed, "Yes. We are going to have to reset it again." He knelt next to her, gently guiding her body to lay upon the mattress. "It's a weak bone. Have you broken it before?"

"Yes," she clenched her teeth, "fell out of a tree when I was younger. I don't think it ever healed right."

"No kidding," he handed her a stick, "Don't take this offensively; it's for you to bite on."

She wanted to laugh through the pain. How many humans used to throw sticks at their canine demon-slaves, regardless if they were dogs or wolves? Not that the humans could tell the difference. They are raised now to see the stick as yet another example of repulsive human behavior. She placed the stick in her mouth and could almost hear in the back of her mind, her father sigh at the sight of her. Brown stick in her mouth, cut and bruised, with a bone sticking out of her leg for the second time in….how many hours have it been? Or days?

"Okay, I'm going to count to three…"

He was lying and she knew. But she nodded as she tried to relax, closing her eyes and trying to pull a happy memory. Gardening in their territory with Farore-san, a statuesque wolf demon, whose raven hair reached to her ankles when allowed to bellow in the wind- but when she tended to the never-ending garden, she gathered her locks into a firm bun. _You must be alert, Kira_ she would say _even when working with the flowers. _

"One…"

Everything grew from their demon energy. Placing their hands over the seedlings, and channeling their ki, they brought them to life. They grew food in the dead of winter, herbs with medicinal purposes that kept them from succumbing to a plethora of elements. Male, female, child, all trained in how to bring greenery to life with as much intensity as they were trained to kill. Farore-san was in charge of training them. Kira admired her as she would a mother and longed for the day she could take up the mantle of healer. To be a protector.

"Tw-"

_Snap_.

She screamed through the stick in her mouth. James tried to hush the writhing wolf as he wrapped the wound tightly. "I'm sorry, I really am. This isn't strong material either. I can not stress the importance of not moving for a while."

Kira spits the stick from her mouth, sitting up as if his words meant nothing, "Where's my sister?"

"She's in a different room. Healing. Her burns are bad." James winced as he tightens the wrapping; more so from the look the wolf demon was giving him. He swore, if she could move another inch, she would have strangled him. Instead, she sat there panting. Sweat caked over her body, soaking through the bandages around her torso.

"I want to see her," Kira started to feel dizzy. All the pain washing over her body was causing a shut down. She also finally took notice of the burning sensation coming from her lungs. Burns, fire. Her garden was engulfed in flames. Farore-san's body hanging from the tree- gutted.

Kira fell back. Lights out again.

James exhaled. He took a look around the room. Red bandages littered the wooden floor, a testament to the hours spent trying to stop the bleeding from her head. How she was able to remain conscious was a reminder of her resilience. The fractured plants that rested in the corner of the otherwise bare room had to be pulverized into an elixir to help any of the internal bleeding she had sustained on her fall through the rose bushes. They also provided a reminder of how little they had left to last the winter. The cold air was already starting to whip through the small village and with it, the fearful whispers from the forty occupants. He looked back at her leg. The white bandage hid the purple bruise that was forming and he hoped her body had enough strength to fight off a brewing infection.

He didn't need another amputation on his conscious.

Heavy footsteps head towards the pair. James began clearing the room when Youko entered, taking an inventory of the situation with his cold gaze.

"She's still out or are you knocking her out?"

"I don't have enough herbs to keep her under," James grunted, "she's in a lot of pain and her body needs to heal itself. We need the medicine anyway for our own people...and don't say it."

Youko laughed, "I said nothing. It's your conscious that betrays you."

"My conscious would have been truly dead if we left those girls to their death. As would have yours."

The pair fall silent. The commotion from outside the room seeped into their private area. Men fighting amongst themselves. Their muffled voices sound all the same. Their songs the same sad tune it has been for the last month. Supplies were low. The chill of the coming winter knipping at their heels. And _them_. The humans. The humans responsible for the two new orphans. Or different humans. Didn't matter- the result was the same.

More bodies to feed.

More bodies to bury.

'How many are we now, James?" Youko's voice sounded sincere.

"Ten men, seven children, twenty women…?"

"Eight," Youko corrects, "or nine if you are forgetting Hiei as you often do."

"Nine children and twelve men." James shook his head, "Forgot us."

"Always thinking of others," Youko snickered.

"I know you are trying to take the piss outta me," James snapped back, "but you are our fearless leader. You lead by example. The men out there all adorn your robes as a sign of their loyalty, to their savoir- the great-"

"Alright, alright," Youko waved him off, "I struck a nerve."

James curled his lips, biting his tongue to hold back the onslaught of insults. Instead, he took a breath. "What are we if we do not protect our own."

Youko contemplated those words. Three-hundred years walking this world and only in the last five did he show compassion for the rest of his species. He couldn't recall the exact moment, when the thieving bandit dropped the bag of gold to help a weaker demon. Maybe it was longer than five years ago. Maybe it was when he found a wounded dog in a bear-trap fighting to rip off the metal clamps that held his leg in place. Maybe it was those big, pathetic, green eyes wide with fear that melted some of the ice that had surrounded his heart. Alone for years, he had asked himself the same question when met with another choice. Save the dog or put it out of his misery.

"I'm taking the men on a raid," Youko said finally, "we need a big bounty if we intend on not losing anyone this winter. I would like to avoid last year's situation."

"All the men?" James asked as he tossed the corpses of plants into a jar, hoping to recycle them. Youko offered a grunt of acknowledgement. "Are you taking Hiei? I could actually use his assistance."

Youko laughed gently, which sounded almost sinister from lack of practice. "He'll be staying behind. He's entertained by the new child in our care."

Hiei sat in the corner of a small room that could barely be called a closet. His sword close to his side and his eyes on the small body feet away from him. He watched the rise and fall of her chest evenly for some time. She was serene. The bandages on her legs and arms the only proof of the tragedy that had befallen her. Her head was lulled to the side, black stringy hair falling over her smooth face. Her "sister's" body had absorbed the brunt of the thorns, leaving her mostly unscathed. How...lucky.

"My hands hurt," her small voice barely registered above the commotion coming from the opposite side of the closed sliding door that separated them from the rest of the world. Hiei knitted his eyebrows together- when did her eyes open? He could hardly see the whites of her eyes from under her hair, but he swore they were closed a second ago. He could feel her gaze on him; the hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. She's curled in a fetal position upon a white pile of blankets- a pathetic excuse for comfort. He heard whimpers coming from her pathetic form- still, he hesitated.

"What happened to your hands?"

"I don't remember."

Hiei frowned and took a seat next to her. He can't make out her face under her hair, but he still felt those eyes on him. A blanket draped upon her shivering body covered the rest of her. He recalled the journey back to the village. She had been asleep. Or seemingly asleep, as he carried her through booby-trapped forest. She didn't even stir as they walked past Youko's carnivorous plants that surrounded the outskirts of the village and would devour any intruder in their hidden jaws lined with jagged teeth the color of bone. They snapped and raged towards the two new guests- only holding themselves back when they sensed the energy of their master and cohorts. Kira had almost woken up from the sounds of their bites alerting her animalistic instinct; she trashed in James arms before her body gave out again.

Ophelia slept.

"Do you remember how you got here?" He continued.

"Where's sister?" She shifts under the blanket.

"In another room." He stated flatly.

"Why?"

"Because Youko wanted it that way."

"Why?"

"He thinks you should be separated for now."

"Why?"

"Don't do this."

She giggled. A reaction that startled him. He cocks his head to the side. "You think this is funny?"

There's a long pause. Heavy footsteps walk past the room without stopping. More muffled orders being shouted. He even picks up on a shrill female voice calling after the army of footsteps that fade into the distance. Silence didn't follow. Instead cautious whispers wrapped in anxiety seeped through the cracks in the wood.

Ophelia moved her arm out of the blanket and extended her hand towards Hiei, never moving her head. "It feels like fire." She doesn't sound pained despite her voice returning to a soft whisper.

Hiei gently took her hand. The candles that flickered shadows against the wall barely illuminated her pale skin, but even Hiei could see the blistered palm yelling in agony. "Do you know how this happened?"

"My legs and feet also feel like fire."

He sighed and examined her arm. It seemed her skin was bleeding through the bandages, her hands still exposed to the elements- they must have missed them...or maybe they ran out of supplies. He moved the blankets off her to reveal two wrapped legs also speckled with blood. These were intense burns, and yet her face hardly let on the excruciating pain.

"Your sister says your name is Ophelia," he attempted to distract her, as he gently took her arm in his hands. She winced slightly. "That is an interesting name. What does it mean?"

"My mom gave me that name," she whispered. Hiei begins unwrapping her arm; it feels like glue ripping away her flesh. She heard the sound shredding paper.

"Where is your mother?" He winced when she let out a whimper- maybe she does feel after all? She turned her head into the blankets to muffle her cries.

"She left me," She said breathlessly, "a long time ago, with my father. He's the leader of the pack."

He completed the first arm and they both exhaled. Ophelia's angry red skin was pulsating. Violent second degree burns from the palm of her hands to her elbow. "Your father was the pack leader…..I'm sorry."

"So then...he's dead?" She sighed, blowing some of her hair from her face. He nodded his head solemnly, yet, confused. "People only say sorry like that when someone dies. Even if they don't really care- they still need to say something."

Hiei shrugged, nodding his head and reached for her left arm. She hesitated before laying on her back to give him better access to the bandages. "What's your name?"

"Hiei...my mother also gave me that name," he responded, accidentally allowing a small hint of sadness drip on each work.

"Where's your mommy?"

He stopped unwrapping her arm for a moment. He looked at her face, now free from the hair that shielded her, and knitted his eyebrows together. Ophelia had a small round face, with two large eyes that looked almost...white? He leads closer and she recoiled. No, blue eyes. Eyes such a striking blue it looked like the sun hiding behind a cloud. Ice. Cold as ice. She narrowed her eyes in response to his blank stare. Hiei took this as a sign and returned to tending to the girl's arm. Ophelia winced every time the bandaged pulled from the scorched skin. _Some idiot wrapped this too tight_, he cursed.

"What are you doing to me?" She asked after he dropped the last of the white fabric onto the blankets.

"Make you better...so you won't be on fire anymore." Hiei inhaled sharply, closing his eyes and placing his hands over her arm, hovering just above the burnt skin. "This won't be pleasant. I won't lie to you. This will hurt you, but only for a moment. It will be okay, I promise." He opened an eye to examine her face one more time. She clenched her jaw and braced herself for...whatever he was planning. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded. "I guess…" She didn't really have a choice.

He closed his eyes and raised his ki. He felt his palms turn cold, to freezing, to unbearable- even for him, as his natural being clashed with his internal one- as white and blue mist floated from his hands unto her arms. This...frozen force clashed angrily with the heat radiating from her skin. Her eyes went wide as the pain rushed to her inner core. It felt like large, metal, needles repeatedly slamming into her arm. She yelped and cried out, enough to make him want to put her out of her misery...one way or another. In between her tears, she battled a lump that formed like a rock in her chest that threatened to explode from her mouth. And when that wave passed, the felt as if the oxygen was sucked from her head. The room spun. She closed her eyes as the cycle repeated. Needles scraping bones. Her stomach flipping.

Like waves crashing on a beach. Death in that moment would be a welcomed release. That voice in her head, cursing her foolish trust.

Then, the fire that raged in her limbs grew dull until replaced with a soothing chill. The tsunami of pain froze, and her eyes fluttered open. Hiei closed his hands, halting his ki. The red, blistered, limb with its skin still attached to discarded bandages was restored. She moved her hands into fists and back straight- no pain. She sat up in shock and rendered silent.

"I'm going to do the same thing to your legs," he began, "do you think you can stop being so dramatic for a minute so the dog doesn't think I am murdering you?"

Ophelia pouted and grabbed part of the blanket to put in her mouth. Hiei nodded and repeated the process on her legs. Only the knees and upper shin were burned too her bone. The pain, this time, wasn't as unbearable, but she still bit clear through the blanket trying to stifle her cries. Sweat drenched her hair and for a moment what little color in her skin drained. She thought a wave of blackness would take her over, but once the skin returned to her exposed shin, and cooled, she could breathe again. Hiei removed his hands from her legs and examined his handy work. The porcelain white skin restored, erasing any sign it had been on fire moments before. Ophelia tentatively touched her repaired skin and smiled.

"I couldn't see you in pain any longer...it was either heal you or kill you."

She suddenly threw her arms around a startled Hiei, who froze at the sudden unexpected affection. "Thank you, Hiei."

"Hn," he pulled her off him, "I need you to do me a favor now. You mustn't tell anyone about this. I do not want anyone to know I have this ability. It would raise too many questions I am not inclined to answer." He stared into her frightful eyes. She nodded in agreement as he tried to find a sign that she would betray his trust.

He hadn't trusted a soul since he stumbled upon this village accidentally six months ago; holding the carcass of one of Youko's plants, finding it rude it had opted to attack him. This place was a band of thieves and criminals masquerading as civilians. If they knew what he really was, he would have to murder the whole lot of them. And that would be such an inconvenience.

But this little girl, not much younger than him, who had no demon energy around her and yet didn't pass out when he tortured her nervous system to fix her, he could see himself sparing her.

"Do you promise to keep this secret, as I promised you would be okay?"

She nodded, "I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."

Hiei smirked. He could make that happen if she decided to betray him.

_But she never would._

**manka: traditional Japanese house. Think from the late 1800s to early 1900s.


	4. Entombed

Chapter Four: Entombed

Ophelia wore her bandages for show. She even went as far as finding red berries and crushing them against them to commit to the lie. Hiei thought that was foolish and told her as much. The nurses weren't that stupid. Neglectful, yes. There were only three women in the whole village who had enough sense and training to pass as caregivers- and their attention was stolen when four of the children fell ill with a mysterious cough that burned their lungs. James, now in charge of those left in the village while Youko and the men were scouting for supplies, left Ophelia in Hiei's "care".

Mostly, the young boy would walk the perimeter, sensing for any humans lurking the area. Ophelia, lost without her sister who was still recovering from her injuries, followed him despite his protests.

And she was a talker.

"My sister said some red flowers can be used to heal broken bones, but only if you mix them with fire water from the edge of our territory and only if you had enough energy to spare. You can't just create without giving a part of yourself away. Right?"

"Hn." Hiei responded. She wasn't wrong. He slept for twelve hours after he healed her- he could tell the dog demon was curious but two women fighting over fabric stole his attention.

"Anyway, she didn't say red flowers, by the way, she said the actual flower. But I can't remember it. Something with a P? Maybe T? I don't know. She always talks about flowers and I sometimes just stop listening and dream about living on an island without flowers. Maybe an island with just trees. I like trees. Don't you? I like that we live in a black forest. My sister tells me there's other forests out there, beyond the black forest. She said there's even places without any trees. Could you imagine?"

"Ophelia, please." He snapped. She flinched and he regretted his words. "Why don't you go see your sister? Maybe she can tell you the name of the flower so her leg will heal faster?"

"And then we'll leave," she said sadly. Hiei looked at her for the first time since she followed him from the main house. She was wearing a makeshift gray dress that hung haphazardly off her small form and completely clashed with her skin tone. Ophelia looked like a specter standing out against the black forest backdrop.

"Oh? You think you're leaving when your sister is healed?" He was genuine. He approached her small form.

"We have to go back home right?"

_Did she not realize…_ It had only been a few days since the smoke rose in the distance, alerting the small village of trouble and Ophelia was unconscious for most of the journey. Did she not grasp the severity of the issue?

Was he the one who had to break it to her?

"You should go speak to your sister," he brushed past her, "I have to go ensure the eastern perimeter is secure and you are a distraction."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Every time I go see her, one of those mean women yell at me. They keep saying she needs her rest."

"So," he huffed. While she wasn't wrong that the women who took up the mantle of '"nurse" had cold bedside manners, having a shadow following him around for the last day and a half had proven exhausting. There was something...off...about her. It wasn't so much her attachment to Hiei, he could understand that. No, it was something else. The way her eyes seemed much older than the rest of her being. How the other children avoided her without much of a chance. The adults would side eye her as she pranced across the entire village- almost blissfully ignorant to tragedy that surrounded her. Maybe that's why the nurses insisted on her staying away from her healing sister. How could a woman who lost everything- her entire pack- look into the eyes of a child who could hardly contain her excitement of her new life? Maybe they were worried it would be too much and the woman would allow the infection in her wounds to take her.

_And then what?_

"You should do something about them," he continued, "she's your sister, right? You have the right to see her."

She pondered this with a blank expression. Do something… "Okay...I'll try."

Ophelia skipped across the small wood that separated the perimeter from the main village. Village, of course, being an over statement. There were several small wooden houses, about seven in total, housed some of the newer residents of Youko's village. There was a small open "schoolhouse" where the children often spent the day learning how to tend to the garden on the west side of the area, sewing clothing, and repairing weapons and armor. There was a blacksmith and apprentice, a woman and small child, who operated right beyond the woods. The sounds of metal forging against heat would echo throughout the village for hours. There were two people in charge of butchering whatever animals were captured in the hunt and descaling the fish they caught in the lake near the northern edge. And in the center, a large traditional manka (Japanese home), that housed a large communal kitchen, the infirmary, and a large basement with one of the most impressive wine collections. This red and gold architecture achievement was where the founder of this village and his most trusted advisors lived. Where Kira and four children were quarantined.

Ophelia walked through one of the open sliding doors from the east end of the home. She had been warned by Sem, one of the nurses, to stay away from the west side of the house, where the children were coughing up blood from infected lungs. The sounds of the groans and cries echoed through the empty halls as Ophelia made her way towards her sister's room. She walked slowly, entranced by the wood and gold artwork that trimmed the inside of the house. It shimmered against the soft sunlight that leaked through translucent windows. It smelled different than the black forest- which had the scent of black licorice- more like the roses that sprinkled the area around the village. She enjoyed this place. She felt warm, like in a mother's embrace.

She approached the sliding door of her sister's room and was startled when it opened and shut quickly. Sem, a short white-haired and wrinkly demon from a providence near the Human world stood before Ophelia. A scowl was permanently etched across her face and arms tightly crossed over her chest. She grumbled at the sight of the small child.

"What are you doing here? Your sister is not well and does not need you bothering her."

"I need to talk to sister," Ophelia argued, scratching the inside of one of her bandaged arms absentmindedly, "I haven't seen her since we got here, and I need to ask her a question."

"What question could you possibly have right now? Go play with Hiei," She mocked, refusing to budge from the door.

"Hiei is busy and I need to ask her if we are going home?"

Sem faltered. It was easy to forget that this tiny girl was still a child. Her curiosity was natural, albeit, inconvenient due to the nature of her sister's wounds. "Your sister is very sick," Sem tries to soften her voice, "your germs will make her worse."

Ophelia widened her eyes and tilted her head to the side, "What's...germs…?"

The older woman grumbled, "Germs are tiny organisms that can cause disease."

"Why do they cause disease?" She returned.

"That's just science, child, don't you know anything? Go away!"

"Why?"

"I just told you."

"Because I am a germ?"

"Yes! Your body is covered in dirt!"

"How do I become NOT a germ?"

"You take a bath!"

"Where?"

Sem thought about what Youko said before he left- _watch the girls-_ and wondered if that was code to murder one or both of them. It was tempting. The older one was almost there and then they would be stuck with this nuisance. But she wasn't one to murder a child- no matter how annoying. Sem brought herself down to Ophelia's eye level. The child's eyes were disgusting muted blue that made her look like the old witch woman who lived in her providence when she was child, centuries ago. She clenched her teeth and wided her lips to the point Ophelia thought her whole face might crack and turn to dust. "Do you know what happens to little children who ask too many questions?"

Ophelia studied the woman's old face that looked like a road map of all her struggles. And in a flash could see one of those moments as clear as if she was experiencing it herself. And without even the slightest emotion: "They pluck their nails from their fingers?"

Sem's smile vanished. She shot up, her eyes wide, and instinctively tucked her bruised and scarred fingers into two fists. "How did you-" she stopped. The witch popped in her mind again. She elected that watching over a dying wolf wasn't worth this torture. She brushed passed the child, nearly knocking her over, "What a naughty girl."

Ophelia watched her leave the home, as if her presence in the place haunted her, and smiled. _That was easy…_. She opens the sliding door and enters her sister's room- germ or not.

Kira was sitting up on the mattress on the floor, breathing heavily and trying to pull the bandage off her leg. Her long hair was greasy from the days of sweating in her bed, battling through bouts of unbearable heat and chills. Despite her olive skin, Ophelia was shocked to see her sister as pale as the full moon. She regretted her decision to enter- maybe it was better if she played with her new best friend around the perimeter near carnivorous plants that would occasionally try to snap her up.

"K-kira?" Ophelia whispered, suddenly becoming the five-year-old child.

Kira snapped her head towards the small voice and smiled, "Oh, good, there you are. I was getting worried they killed you. They don't tell me anything here." She returned to working on her bandages that seemed stuck to white pus protruding from her leg. "I think they are worried about- bad luck with wolves. We do have a bit of reputation- unfounded of course."

Ophelia felt sick watching her sister tear at her legs and tried to look at the ceiling, or the floor, or the terrifying portrait of Youko standing in front of those plants. "They said I am a germ and I shouldn't bother you."

Kira laughed sardonically, "You are. Definitely. Not going to help my leg having you here, but I think...I think you could help me."

Ophelia perked up just as Kira ripped the bandage off her leg with a grunt and a laugh. "Ha! Finally. It was getting too hot under there." She panted and examined her bloated purple leg. "Okay okay. Good news, it's not black. If it was black, Lia, it would be dead you know. And then…" She paused and laughed as tears welled in her eyes. "I wouldn't have a leg."

Ophelia started biting her thumb nail. Not sucking it, she wanted to say to Kira if she cared, but biting it nervously. "Are you going to die too?"

Kira snapped out of her daydream and looked at her small sister. She looked so lost and confused; unable to comprehend how serious this situation was becoming. Her leg was infected. She could lose it, or worse. But no one was listening to her. The only nurse she has seen wouldn't here of her plan and refused to call James from his duties to hear her idea. And the children's coughing was getting louder and more painful- a cough of death that Kira knew all too well from last winter.

"Lia, come here," Kira called her sister quietly, just in case. Ophelia reluctantly walked over despite the fear of infecting her sister more. "Tell me, have you seen the plants that we walked past when we came here?"

Ophelia nodded. "Hiei and I were playing there today."

"Good girl," Kira grabbed her arm, taking a mental note that her sister didn't flinch despite being bandaged up from the burns. "Do you know anything about them? Has Hiei told you what gives them their power?"

Ophelia recalled the first night playing near them, when one lunged for her and Hiei had to cut off its head before she was plant food. He offered her quite the verbal lashing after that stunt. "Uh-huh. Youko grew them. They surrounded the whole village and eat anyone that Youko doesn't like."

"So his demon energy, that's what gives them life?"

Ophelia shrugged and Kira gripped her arm tightly.

"Okay," she continued, "Lia...listen to me very carefully. Go to one of the plants and cut it open. A milky white liquid will come out. See that jar over there? Collect as much of it as you can and bring it back to me. Do you understand?"

Ophelia bit her lip, "Uhm, how do I cut it open without it eating me? They always try to attack when I go near them and Hiei gets really really mad at me."

Kira gritted her teeth and tried to relax her grip on her sister; but days of being ignored by the demons in this village paired with the pain of having one of limbs die on her was almost too much. Her sharp teeth grew and she wanted nothing more than to tear a living thing apart. "Hiei is your friend? The little boy with the sword? Ask him for help."

"Bu-"

Kira jerked Ophelia forward violently, until her brown eyes were staring right into her. "I'm...sorry. But you have to be strong right now, okay? You have to be strong and brave, like we talked about when I pulled you from the coals, do you remember?" Ophelia nodded sadly. "Good, good, good. It's going to be okay. Just do as I say and we'll be okay."

"Yes, sister."

"Now go, and if anyone tries to stop you…" Kira released her sister with a sudden jump of realization, "just...do whatever you have to do."

Ophelia stomped towards the southern part of the village- the least active- clearly vexed. All the years being told to be a good girl. Be quiet and don't make too much noise. Think happy thoughts. The accusations that her frown was a curse upon other people. Now, she supposed, the situation was truly dire if her sister was letting her "do whatever" she needed to do. And what she needed to do involved going toe-to-toe with a 50-foot, angry, purple plant with razor sharp teeth that could grind up bone. But she promised she would be strong.

She clutched the medium sized jar against her torso as she navigated through the small woods, into the danger zone. The ground rumbled upon her arrival. She stood a few feet away from the plants, currently closed and swaying gently in the wind. She only needed one to approach her without alerting the rest. Ophelia picked up a small rock and chucked it at the plant directly in front of her who was missing its left neighbor thanks to the previously mentioned incident. The plant uncurled and let out a screech that caused her to jump.

Ophelia didn't want to alert the whole village with a chorus of screaming plants. Luckily, the single creature turned and spotted its new prey and lunged for her without attracting the others.

She smirked.

Her eyes turned an ink black, like the eye of an ominous raven. She held her hand up as the plant halted inches from her face. Its jaw frozen open as if entranced.

She widened her smile.

Ophelia took a breath, called upon the darkness that welled inside her. Her fingernail extends. Morphing into a sharp black razor taller than her.

Without a word, she plunges the weapon into the stem of Youko's precious creation. It doesn't cry out. She removed it as the white liquid pours from its wound and she happily collects as much as the jar would fit.

It twitched.

Ophelia didn't care for these plants like she didn't care for any of the plants her sister tried to show her. But especially these abominations. So mean to her...when she was...only a child.

She placed her hand on one of the petals and took a breath.

The color drained. Turning it into a sickly white, to a dead brown carcass that fell to the ground.

She giggled at her handy work as her eyes returned to normal.

Ophelia didn't have time to relish in her flawless victory against her first real enemy, when the sound of movement coming from her left caught her attention. She snapped her head, expecting to have to exert herself, but only found Hiei. He emerged from the woods; his red eyes wide with...curiosity. His mouth was slightly ajar as if he wanted to speak but the words fell as dead as the plant laying at the child's feet.

They stared at one another for several frantic heart beats. She imagined they were thinking the same thing. And she imagined that even with Hiei only displaying some of his power, his technique was better tuned than her.

So, instead, she smiled and placed her index finger to her lip as her nail retracted into its previous shape.

_Shhh_.


	5. Unsainted

Chapter Five: Unsainted

Hiei followed Ophelia back to the home. His hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes narrowed, waiting. She didn't immediately attack him- stupid on her part. If he had just accidentally revealed such a potent ability, sucking the life out of another living being, he would have slit their throat before they had the chance to move. Not Ophelia. Though he was sure the thought crossed her mind; he saw the flash of contemplation as the last bit of black left her eyes.

But she didn't act upon her instinct.

Did she really trust him? Already?

He removed his hand from the katana, and Ophelia stopped. Her back still towards him.

"Where's James?" She asked without even turning her head to acknowledge Hiei directly. He took note that despite how small and infantile her voice was, it lacked any emotion. Vacant. Empty.

"Not sure exactly, but I have an idea." He responded, and she took note that he sounded just like her.

"Could you get him? I think Kira is going to need help… and maybe we should get an adult?"

"Squeamish all of a sudden?" Hiei snorted.

Ophelia slowly turned her head. "Hm? What are you talking about?"

Hiei chuckled at her feigned confusion. "Fine. I'll be back with the dog."

Ophelia exhaled after he sped away. Her heart felt stapled to her throat since they left the dead plant. She could sense, despite her back towards him (something her sister would surely lecture her about) his hand was hovering close to his weapon. She could smell the instinct to attack well within his body. His breathing was noticeably even and controlled despite fighting against the desire to lunge at the girl.

She just had that effect on people.

The jar began to slip from her hands.

Ophelia scampered into the home.

There was always the possibility that Hiei would tell James what he saw- a stranger with the skill to steal life. Child or not, there could be consequences worse than her sister losing her leg.

But somehow, she felt it in her chest, Hiei wouldn't tell the dog demon what she was capable of- he was too curious. And she had something on him. Who hides that they can heal external wounds? Especially when there are people who can truly benefit from that ability?

Ophelia entered her sister's room quietly as not to alert the three nurses that moved like wraiths throughout the home. Kira was still alert, a knife clutched in her hand, but her body was coated in a thick layer of sweat. Ophelia tried not to look at the wound on her sister's leg which throbbed and pulsed as the infection ate away at the soft tissue and walked over to her side trying to hold onto the jar of milky white liquid.

"Finally," Kira panted, "I was afraid I would...fall asleep again."

It's not falling asleep. Ophelia put the jar down, "What are you going to do, sister?"

Kira raised the knife in her right hand and pointed towards the stick laying across the room which had a perfect mold of her teeth. "Grab that. I need something to bite down on."

Before Ophelia could respond, the stick was in her face; held up by Hiei who flew into the room like a shadow. "This thing?"

Both girls looked towards the door where James stood, a weary expression sewed onto his face. His bright green eyes seemed to dull against the muted sunlight which struggled to drip into the quarantine room. Behind him, Sem with her arms crossed, whispering retaliations into his ear.

"Care to share what you two are up to?" He spoke with command in his voice that contradicted the look on his face.

Kira laughed bitterly, "Ask your stupid bitch of an assistant."

"Excuse me," Sem plowed through James, "What kind of language is that for a woman? How dare you! You are a guest-"

"Well," Hiei cut off the lecture, turning to the old woman, "What are they up to?"

Sem crossed her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes and turned to James- hoping the dog demon would put these insolent children in their place. Instead, James narrowed his tired eyes which began to glow with life once again. The older woman threw her hands in the air, "Ridiculous. This delirious _wolf_ wanted to know what the plants Lord Youko created were made from."

James shook his head, "And? Did you tell her?"

"Of course not! She's not one of _us_."

"Sem, how many times do I have to tell you: there is no _us_ and _them_. She is injured and needs our help."

Sem laughed bitterly in his face, "You trust too easy! How could Lord Youko put you in charge? She could use this information to stage an attack on us!"

"With what army," Hiei responded blankly, "Her whole pack is dead."

The air seemed to rip from the room. A silence that was too loud blanketed the group.

Truth.

Everyone's eyes drifted towards the floor- except Hiei, whose red eyes of fury locked on intensely at the old woman. Shame. She clenched her fist, pushing that feeling beneath her- how dare they make her feel bad? For being right? Ophelia looked at the dirt in her nails. A little green speck of stem still stuck. James pinched the bridge his nose to relieve that headache that brewed ever since Youko left him in charge; the second time he made this mistake. James would be the first to admit he wasn't a leader- he was a dog. He was loyal. To a fault. He was calm in stressful situations. Yes. But he was no leader of a pack of random, displaced, demons, who had been scarred by death and betrayal.

The tension was thick.

And it was cut by the sound of flesh torn from muscle.

Everyone snapped their heads towards Kira. Stick clenched in her mouth, brown eyes wide and dilated, and with the knife dragging along her purple leg.

"What are you doing!" James shouted and barreled through Sem, nearly knocking the old woman over, to grab the knife from the shaking hands of Kira.

Kira spit out the stick and relinquished the knife, the deed done. "If she would have just _told you_ what I had planned, it wouldn't have gotten this bad." She pointed to the jar on the floor next to her. "Youko uses demon energy to give his piranha plants life, correct?"

James knitted his eyebrows together, "Well, we don't call them piranha plants, but yes...:"

Kira smiled and removed a handful of milky gelatinous liquid from the jar. "Let me guess: these plants, whatever you call them, only attack intruders, but those who live within this community are safe, are they not?"

James nodded. Kira took a sharp breath and closed her eyes. Weakly, slowly, her demon energy rose and surrounded her hand. The liquid in her palm glowed a bright white that seemed to sparkle against the soft light in the room. She exhaled and placed her hand over the cut which pussed and bleed upon the white sheets of her makeshift bed.

Everyone winced with the wolf as she clenched her teeth. Except Hiei, who chuckled. "I see. You manipulated Youko's demon energy. The liquid from the plant will now attack whatever bacteria is in the wound."

James smacked his hand on his head, "Of course! The plants use Youko's energy to attack intruders. You just altered his demon energy to attack the infection."

Kira laughed through the pain. "It won't heal the bone. But it will neutralize the infection and I won't lose the leg."

Ophelia's smile grew as she shot her eyes towards Sem; who in turn stood in shock over what she was seeing. Slowly, the puss that dripped from the wound evaporated, as the leg began to return to its natural olive color. "How...how was I supposed to know that was what you were going to do!"

Kira waved off the woman, "If you had let me explain instead of cutting me off, you would have known."

"This is a skill only advanced healers, who spent years of training, can accomplish! Manipulating another demon's energy? Unheard of from such a young pup! Especially one so weak-"

"That's quite enough, Sem," James snapped, "Why don't you go wash up and check on the children. Another one has fallen ill."

Sem stormed from the room in a fury. "Wait till Youko hears about this!"

Ophelia took a seat next to her sister, gently taking her hand in hers. "Are you going to be okay, sister?"

Kira nodded and leaned against the wall, "Yes. Great job little one. You too, Hiei, thank you."

"Hn," Hiei narrowed his eyes at Ophelia, who returned the look from under her hair which shielded the two older demons from her milky blue eyes, "Yeah. Don't mention it."

"What did Hiei do now?" James asked confused that the little _runt_ as he called him would lift a finger to help anyone but himself.

"He killed the plant so I could get the juice!" Ophelia squealed happily, though it sounded as if her tone was being forced through gritted teeth.

"No other one," James shook his head, knowing a lecture on preserving plants would surely be expected once the owner returned, "I guess it was for a good cause…"

Kira forced her body to sit up, moving to rise from her bed. James immediately attempted to gently push the woman back onto the bed; but she stopped him with a firm hand against his chest. "I"m fine. If you help me wrap my leg up, I can help the children."

"You just began the healing process on your leg," He countered weakly, "Why don't you rest."

Kira shook her head, "We don't have time. I know what's wrong with the children of this place- this disease ravaged our pack last winter. We can use the liquid to create an elixir for them."

"You're weak," Hiei muttered, "Let your energy rise before you waste it all on creating a cure you're too dead to implement.

"The sick can wait."

Kira cursed his logic- he wasn't wrong. "Fine," she plopped on the bed. "In the meantime, you need to find rosemary or eucalyptus. Do you know what it looks like? It does grow in these parts naturally."

James nodded, "We have eucalyptus"

"Okay. Mix that with honey and then add some of your own demon energy. If you can manipulate plants the way Youko can, you'll be able to enhance the plants natural properties. Place the mixture on the chests of those afflicted."

"Will that cure them?" James asked, nodding at Hiei to alert the rest of the village.

"No, but it will open their lungs so it will be easier for them to breath. The juice of the dearly departed plant Hiei killed can be used to cure them, but I...apparently need to rest."

James chuckled despite the urgency as the wolf demon slowly closed her eyes to recharge. Her leg rapidly healing the self-inflicted cut with such grace that James was envious of the ability. "You two are really earning your keep here."

The sun gave way to blackness. Stars lightyears away sparkled against the demon night sky which stretched for miles. There, Ophelia stood by the still blue lake which rested near the main home. The house glowed from flickering candles in several rooms, as the murky coughs were slowly silenced as the night waged on. Ophelia stared into the dark forest beyond the lake. The sound of medium sized, three eyed fish, splashing in the water mixed with the whispering trees caressed by the wind. She was engrossed with the sounds of nighttime that she didn't hear the boy walk up behind her.

"What are you?" He said coolly.

She closed her eyes and remained still, "What are you?"

A pause. The wind shifted and the trees whined as their branches bent.

"I'm half fire demon." Hiei said- heart beating rapidly- confused by his own admission.

Ophelia slightly turned and Hiei took a step back-startled. The white film that caused her eyes to age dramatically was gone. And there, enchanted by the full moon, was ice blue eyes no longer hindered by a barrier of white. They shun in the nighttime. Like a star. But still frozen like the mountain tops of his old home.

"Your skin is cold." Her tiny voice broke him from his revere. "Fire demons are hot."

"Hn, not all of us."

Another pause. She turned back to the forest.

"What? Has someone stolen your tongue? I couldn't shut you up before, now we're shy?"

He moved next to her, staring off into the same forest, searching for what had captured her attention and muted his new friend. Another splash from the lake as one of the three-eyed fish managed to capture one of the smaller, yellow, fish that are used as their food. The yellow fish feed the larger fish, who in turn nourish the village. Death providing life.

"Do you see the face in the forest?" She asked meekly.

Hiei scanned the area. "All I see are the trees...and some silhouettes of animals. No faces." He eyed her without moving. Her face scrunched with concern. "There's nothing there. And even if there was, the plants would have devoured anything that crossed their paths."

_She must be worried about the humans._ He thought, remembering why she was standing in this village in the first place. It had only been a couple of days; but those days were longer than usual. Her presence seemed more rooted in concrete; as if she has been there forever. He couldn't place this feeling- familiar yet dangerous. "Come," he said, "it's getting late and you should rest."

"No," she answered quickly, "I don't sleep."

Hiei rolled his eyes, "Of course you do. And you must be tired from taking on that plant earlier. Speaking of which, don't start screaming when one of those monsters tries to eat you- clearly you are capable of defending yourself-"

"I can't sleep because nightmares." She shuddered, her voice cracking. "I have nightmares."

"Who doesn't?" He whispered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Come on now. There's nothing to be afraid of."

She sniffled, "I have horrible nightmares. I don't want to have nightmares anymore."

_Insufferable._ He thought. Hiei moved in front of her, judging the cause of these sudden and unnecessary tears must exist somewhere in the black woods that have captured her attention. He placed his hands on her shoulders, his skin ice cold but she doesn't react. She was just as cold. Her head hangs, black stringy hair covering her face, as she inhales sharply to stop the flow of tiny wet tears. "Enough now. Nightmares are no reason to cry. Reality will give you plenty of reasons to shed tears."

The wind picks up. But the fish have been silenced. The death rattles from inside the house have been replaced by cautious laughter. Happy tears battling against these painful sobs that wreck Ophelia's body as she tries to will her dark thoughts away. Hiei stands before her, frustrated by this...performance? An act? Her duality was becoming tiresome. She stands before him at dawn with a cheshire grin and her deformed finger pressed against her lips in warning, and as the moon hangs high above them she devolves into a shaking, crying, mess of a child.

However, he sighed. How easy it was to forget the act one must put on to survive? How difficult it was to shed that costume. To let down that guard. How liberating could that be?

"The nightmares aren't real, Ophelia." He softened his voice.

"Yes, they are, Hiei."

She brought her eyes to meet his. About the same height, for the time being, they met each other's gazes without attempting to hide. Exposed, left out there in the open. He never met a person or child who he felt safe enough with to look them directly in the eye- not the hand, waiting for an attack, or their feet to see if they flee, not even through them. And he didn't feel safe.

"I know how you're going to die." She whimpered. "I don't want to see you die anymore."

He laughed. Right in her face. "I'm not going to die anytime soon."

She shook her head. "Not soon. Later. You are going to die three times."

"I have no intention on dieing, let alone three times. So, I wouldn't worry about it." He grabbed her arm gently, to pull her back towards the house. But she yanked her arm from him with a startling sense of urgency. He paused- she moved faster than he expected. Or liked. Intensely he looked into her eyes for a sense she was actually telling the truth.

"You saw me die? How?"

Ophelia took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

And when she opened them: the muted white layer returned over her bright blue orbs. Aging her centuries.

"You will die three times." She touched his forehead, pressing hard till he felt the pressure, "First, your mind." She moved to his right arm, gripping it tightly, "Then, your body." Then, she rested her hand over his chest. Right against the heart that didn't _thumb_ when she touched. "Finally, your heart."

Ophelia's hand drops to her side. Her eyes wilted to the ground as she noticed his breathing had increased.

"That so?" He questioned cautiously, "And who will kill me?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. It doesn't show me."

"What's 'it'?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. It's whatever shows me the nightmares."

"Well," he struggled to find a response. He didn't believe her, not really. Not like he would ever let anyone get a clean enough shot on him to take him out once, let alone three times. But clearly, she was distraught by these night terrors. "I have no intention of dying. And now that you told me how, I can prevent it from ever happening."

"It doesn't work like that," she retorted. "You are meant to die, as am I."

He tilted his head to the side. "Oh, and how many times do _you_ die?"

She lifts three fingers. _How coincidental_, he thought.

"Three times," she mumbled, her voice clearly pained. She wrapped her arms around her small body, shivering against the cool night air. "Burned alive." She brings her hands to her stomach. "Cut open." And then, to his horror, she lifted both arms up and showed him her wrists. Clean, bare wrists. "Then...myself."

The once calm wind picked up and wrapped debris around their silhouettes. The laughter from the home grew, as people ran from the doors, shouting at the others to come inside. To see the wonderful cure of all their troubles. How blessed they would be to have a healer now. The village women ran through the house, throwing open doors, and running to their children. Kids singing joyful songs that their mothers' had taught them echoing over the night air.

"I just want to go to sleep and not die," she whimpered, and dropped both arms to her side. "I can feel...everything. It hurts...so much. I hate it."

A child of few words, Hiei was rendered completely silent. Even his mind drew a complete blank as he stared at the ghostly form of this child. Suddenly wondering if this whole exchange was a dream he was experiencing. But the smell of elkeer-a four horned, four leg, foul that existed in their forest- roasting over a fire was all too real to be a figment of his imagination. He grabbed her hand. Her soft, baby-like, skin was smooth against his touch. As real as flesh could be. "That's enough for tonight," he said softly, "let's go inside now, see why someone decided to start cooking at this hour."

He pulled her gently towards the house, and she followed as she knew she would, with her head hanging low, and her tears slowly drying.

"And one day," she whispered low enough that he could just strain his ears to hear her; her voice sounding unfamiliar to him. "You and I...will kill each other."


	6. Wolf

Chapter Six: Wolf

The sun rose on the seventh day.

Bright. Illuminating every inch of greenery that its light touched. The dark green leaves twinkled with their fresh dew. The wind was calm, for the first time in a few weeks, and a soft melody whispered across the village as the trees swayed against each other. Dancing.

The smell of flames had become a distant memory. The metallic stench of blood was all too common that it signaled that a time of turmoil was behind them. The future as bright as the sun that hung in the red sky. Sounds of children screaming in joy echoed in and out of the makeshift houses which surrounded the main abode. Their small feet slamming against the rough terrain acted as a percussion accompaniment to their lovely tune.

Kira, bathed in the glow of the sun, sat on the balcony of the main house, pulling apart the leaves of a yellow vegetable. The green leaves were placed gingerly into a basket, for use later, while yellow husks were left to the side to be picked up by the dog demon when he eventually made his rounds. Her black hair gathered into a tight bun, while small strands managed to escape their prison and fall upon her face. She hummed a song that Farore had taught her after her mother passed away; a tune that had comforted her in times passed and that she had frequently attempted to sing to put her sister to sleep.

Though Ophelia never seemed comforted enough to sleep.

Kira knitted two thin black eyebrows together as she struggled to remember the next part of the song when the sounds of heavy bare feet captured her attention. She looked up to see James, flushed in his cheeks and coated in sweat from no doubt running around like a chicken without a head.

"Time for your check in, Ms. Kira," he chuckled, slightly out of breath.

"Ms?" She placed her project on pause, "What's that now?"

"It's a term of respect from where I am from. It means you are unburded with the chains of marriage."

She laughed as he knelt next to her and examined her leg. "I see, shall I call you Ms. Jameson, then?" She winked and the dog demon skin turned an apple shade of red.

"It would be Mr. in my case," he carefully raised her extended leg, which had a fresh split to keep the bone in place. She was under strict instructions not to move, but still managed to hobble towards a poorly kept garden to gather the fresh vegetation that threatened to spoil. "And men do not have a prefix to denote if they are married or not."

Kira frowned, "Now that doesn't seem very fair, does it?"

"I agree," he pressed gently on her fibia, "Does this hurt?"

She winced, "A bit, it's sore. But I can feel it healing underneath the skin."

"Some beings hate that feeling, I always found it oddly comforting. At least you know it's working."

Kira agreed, though the sensation of actually feeling broken bones melding back into place could be nauseating- and has caused others to pass out in the past. "Have you heard from Youko yet?"

James shook his head, though he didn't meet her eyes. Instead, he remained focused on her bandaged leg as if interested. "No. He's usually gone for a week, sometimes two. Can never really tell with him. He won't come home until he has enough supplies to make it through a month or two. If he can't then…"

He paused. The last time Youko left, they lost three members due to human traps. The ones that remained returned with some provisions. Youko, on the other hand, came back a month later. His breath covered in cheap whisky. And five human skulls around his waist- trophies, he claimed at the time and smashed an empty bottle on the floor next to the children who cried from hunger.

The next day he burned the skulls and hunted enough elkeer and small rodents to appease the crying children.

"Then what?" Kira's concerned voice snapped James out of his dream of the not so distant past.

He slapped his legs and laughed, which just confused the wolf demon even more. "He'll be back, he always comes back. And when he does...I'll talk to him about you and your sister staying with us."

"Uh," Kira bit her bottom lip, "I don't- I haven't discussed that with Ophelia yet."

"Well, she's a child, you are in charge of her, no?"

"Yes, but…"

"If you don't want to stay," he cut her off, which was a habit she despised, but the growing concern which stitched upon his face as their conversation continued convinced her to forgive him-this time. His green eyes beset with worry. "I understand. But there is nothing for you out there. And we need you here. Those are the facts."

"I could have distant cousins with their own packs somewhere out there," she argued, "unless...there's another reason we can not leave?"

The sounds of Sem screaming at children echoed across the camp, signaling the end of James' attention. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose again to fight against the growing headache.

"I have something for that," Kira leaned over, grabbing a small vial with a yellow liquid inside. James sat next to her as she poured some of it onto her finger. She reached for her and instinctively he jerked back. She giggled, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you _Mr._ James."

Gently, she rubbed the yellow liquid on his forehead. It felt like warm slime against his head, and he frowned until the pressure in his head began to slowly give way.

"Rosemary oil," she answered the question that wasn't asked, "Helps with headaches. Here." She plugs the vile with some cork she found in the basement lined with wine bottles. "You need it more than me right now, I see."

James took the small vile. He knew some of the other villagers would be angry at her for using their supplies. The limited glass jars and vials that they had stored in the basement, collecting dust, was going to be "very important" someday soon.

Maybe that someday was today.

James grabbed her hand tightly. Kira's big brown eyes looked back at him confused at the sudden bout of affection, as his eyes remained glued to the vial in his other hand. He sighed heavily, as the weight of responsibility held him down- the yelling from Sem growing louder, as he heard his name now frantically coming out of her mouth. "There could be a million reasons to leave. But there's a million and one reason to stay. Our little 'pack' needs someone with your set of skills. If you can find it in your heart to help us like we have helped you, I implore you to stay."

He finally brought his eyes to meet hers. He could sense her resilience. How irksome it was to place demands and expect favors from a guest? "I just…" he continued, releasing her hand, "would like it if it was your choice."

James rose and turned to walk back into the house to investigate the source of Sem's rage this time.

"Do I really have a choice then?" Kira asked bluntly.

He paused, took a breath and let out a dejected sigh, "Everyone has a choice, Ms. Kira."

James walked back into the house, shutting the flimsy wooden sliding door behind him. Kira forced herself to ponder the implications of his message. A choice which didn't seem like a choice; more like a heavy suggestion with consequences if she went against them. She recalled the day her pack was attacked. Fighting past the memories of her people being vaporized by spirit energy, children being literally ripped apart by the savages that dared call themselves human, and rested on the trio of demon men who came to her rescue.

Youko was more inclined to slay them in the woods before the remaining humans locked on to their demon energy and finished the job. They dared to leave the safety of their circle of carnivorous plants to investigate the sounds of death and the stench of humans. Easily, Youko, Hiei and James were the three strongest in the village- that much Kira could feel from the demon energy that radiated off them- and they were the three who were arguably the most valuable. Youko was wanted by humans and demons alike and Hiei...a child with barely seven years alive had a power level that surpassed her father. They could easily demolish the rest of the demons who inhabited the neutral zone. They demonstrated a fraction of their power against those humans.

Why hide?

Kira scanned the open area of the east end of the village. The sun was now hot against her olive skin, the last bit of summer hanging on before giving way to winter. Women were working in the fields. The sound of the blacksmith slamming her hammer against piping hot metal echoed with a loud _ding_ that traveled to the far end of the compound. Large birds squawked overhead as the resident archer, a young female demon of unknown origin, ran after them to aim her arrow and released it into the air. The sound of a dying bird. The demon screaming a resounding "got 'em.". Then the silence of the wind gently passing through the village. Untouched.

Smaller feet approached Kira from outside. From how quickly the sound manifested, she could sense it was her small sister making her way towards her on the wrap around balcony. Clearly irritated from the way her small feet tried to slam with each movement. Kira could smell the fire that grew within her sister. And by the time Ophelia appeared in front of Kira, she was already dizzy from the negative energy that leaked off such a tiny being.

"Lia," Kira said softly, "What has you so angry today?"

Ophelia sat in front of her sister, pout stitched on porcelain face, and gently picked up one of the leaves of the vegetable. She didn't know what it was called and she didn't care to ask. She needed something to hold and rub her fingers against. Something Kira noticed she would do as a baby. A means to try to comfort herself. Ophelia huffed, not looking at her sister. "Sem yelled at me again."

Kira scrunched her nose, "What a vile woman. Why was she yelling at you today?"

Ophelia shrugged, "She accused me of making one of the children cry."

"Hm," Kira continued her task as she thought about how rude that woman has been to the both of them. Especially her little sister; already emotionally fragile, crumbled at any look she could perceive as an attack against her.

And how that perception could be treacherous.

"Did you make a child cry, Lia?" Kira carefully allowed a stern tone in her normally cool voice. Lia shifted uncomfortably, pulling at the leaves. "Ophelia. Answer me, please."

"Ugh," Ophelia whined, "I didn't mean to! I swear!"

Kira gritted her teeth as a wave of negative energy coming from her sister hit her. "Calm down," she said with more force, "You are not in trouble. Just tell me what happened."

"They were making fun of me again," Ophelia ripped a piece of the leaf in half, "one of the girls kept asking if I was blind. She said I have the eyes of an old blind woman. She said I reeked of death. She kept asking if I could see over and over again, even when I told her I could."

Ophelia stopped, took a breath, and tried to level anger that welled inside her. She cautiously looked at her sister, who seemed to grow pale as they sat together. And she began the cycle of self-hatred that came with these episodes.

"Then what happened?" Kira urged, despite the sudden nausea.

"I said...I can see. I see how your father died."

Kira slapped her head, regretting that she gave James all the rosemary oil. "Dammit Lia, what did father tell you?"

"I didn't mean to!" She shouted, pained at how angry her sister had become; she tore another part of the leaf. "I just saw what happened and then...then she started crying and said I put the image in her head! But I didn't! I didn't put anything in her head, like father told me not to!"

Kira waved her hands to try to calm the panic stricken child before her. Trying to block the image of a male demon's decaying body, blue and green, with glass eyes that almost mimicked her sisters- maggots in his mouth. Eyes frozen in fear. "It's fine, I know. I know you don't know how to control that. Think happy thoughts please?"

Ophelia closed her eyes and took several slow breaths. Happy thoughts? She thought of last fall when the harvest moon hung in the sky, and all the pack threw a party in honor of the bountiful food the goddesses had blessed them with that season. The music that was played. The taste of hot soup and cold water. Her father had snuck her mead to drink, and thought it tasted too bitter for her liking. He laughed. Her father's warm and welcoming laugh that bellowed into the night. The pack leader, Kane, towered at almost six and a half feet, give or take. And he was large, like the full moon. And his arms were soft when he embraced Ophelia as she sat on his lap. She would nuzzle into his chest and take in the smell of sweat and dirt. Safe. He always made her feel safe.

Kira felt the tears well in her brown eyes as she saw the image of her father in her mind's eye. "There you go, little one," she wiped away a lone tear. "I like those thoughts."

Ophelia opened her eyes, wet with tears. "I miss father. I miss home."

"I know," Kira looked down, at her hands, dirty from tending to the garden. Cut up from pulling out weeds and trying to plant some new seeds she had gathered. She was at a loss of what to say. James' message ringing through her head, nearly replacing the image of her father. She tried to hold on to the last fleeting moments of the way her father looked. Blessing the gods that her sister never saw what became of him. An image she tried to bury deep within her soul- knowing Ophelia could look at her and unravel the carefully crafted blockade she created. Ophelia sniffled and took another leaf from the basket- Kira not bothering to stop her from tearing apart the other green foliage she was planning on using as a cure for cuts and scrapes. Whatever kept Ophelia from falling into the darkness of her own mind.

"Will we ever go home, Kira?" Ophelia whispered.

"Do you want to go home?"

She shrugged, "Hiei says everyone is dead. That our home is gone."

Kira wasn't a fan of the lack of tack coming from the little red eyed boy. But Ophelia didn't seem to mind- and any negative thought daring to rise at the reminder that her whole pack was now extinct seemed to be calmed by the matter-of-fact tone of her new best friend. At least someone was being honest with her. Ophelia looked at her sister; hiding behind her black hair the discontent she felt towards her sister currently. But she kept repeating happy thoughts in her head as not to alert the sensitive wolf demon.

"What if we stayed here?" Kira asked finally.

"No one here likes me." Ophelia retorted. "The only one who cares about me is Hiei."

Kira thought "cared" was a strong word. "You shouldn't concern yourself with the opinions of those weaker than you. You're a wolf right?"

"I'm no-"

"Stop that. Just because you don't have our ears or tail, doesn't mean you aren't one of us. Don't even forget that. You're a wolf."

"Okay," she hunched forward with a frown.

"No no, sit up and say it! 'I am a wolf!" Say it."

"I am a wolf!" Ophelia shouted sitting up straight and staring directly into her sister's eyes.

Kira smiled. "That's my girl. Wolves need a pack, Lia. We need a pack."

She nodded, "I know."

A sudden rush of warm wind caught both girls' attention and they turned to see Hiei standing next to them as if he appeared out of thin air. Kira nearly attacked, but luckily was reminded that her leg still needed to stay in place or risk another break. Ophelia, on the other hand, smiled as wide as her chapped lips would allow her.

"Am I interrupting something?" Hiei asked with a terrifying lack of emotion for a seven-year-old. He looked back at Ophelia, not bothering to wait for an answer. "I got you a gift."

Ophelia jumped up, "Oh! What is it?"

He dug into the pocket of his black pants. "I heard Sem yelled at you for...actually I don't know. I wasn't paying attention when she was complaining to James. Her voice irks me." He pulled out a tooth. A large, white, razor sharp tooth about the size of Hiei's hand, with a string going through it creating macabre piece of jewelry. "It's a tooth from one of the plants you hate so much."

Ophelia gasped and placed it around her neck. Kira noted that it clashed with the silver nightgown that was entirely too big for her; making a mental note to sew her sister something appropriate to wear. "Thank you, it's so pretty."

"It's not...pretty," Hiei arched an eyebrow, "It's disgusting. I tackled one of those plants and pulled out the smallest tooth I could find. It was covered in blood."

"Well, I think it's pretty."

"That's because you think disgusting things are pretty."

Ophelia shrugged, not denying the accusation. Hiei turned to Kira, who was smiling at the two the way adults smile at small children playing. "I didn't get you anything. I don't know you well enough."

"Well, that's understandable," Kira laughed, and Hiei narrowed his eyes. "Maybe you'll get to know me sooner rather than later since we might be here for a while."

"Oh? So you're staying for good then?

"Yes, I think that's for the best, right Lia?"

Lia nodded enthusiastically, forgetting how the rest of the villagers had treated her, now only focused on the boy in front of her and the gift he gave her. Hiei shrugged, "Not like you had a choice. The fox would probably have slit your throats if you tried to leave, now that you know where this village is."

_Bingo_. Count on Hiei to be blunt. At least someone was honest in this place, Kira thought. Hiei turned back to Ophelia, who was giving him awkward vibes as she gently touched the sharpest part of the tooth. "You." He said coldly, "I am done with my rounds. Do you want to...I don't know, whatever the village children do for fun?"

"Uh, do you want to climb trees?"

Hiei inhaled sharply through his nose and tried to contain the smile that threatened to crack along his face. "Yes. I would like that."

Ophelia looked at Kira who gave her the thumbs up to climb trees and be a child for the first time in a long time. The pair ran off, Hiei vanishing into thin air, followed by Ophelia yelling at him that it wasn't "fair" that he could run faster than her. Kira laughed softly as silence returned to the little part of the house that had become her safe haven. The archer demon from before walked past her in the distance and waved, holding the carcass of the bird she killed in her hand. Kira waved back feeling a semblance of normalcy pass through her. The archer continued towards the center of the village, where no doubt they would pluck the bird bare and use its meat for a feast. The children's laughter returned. A group running after the archer, eager to see the carcass.

The sun hung in the sky right above Kira. Basking her in the warmth of its glow. Shining upon her black hair and olive skin, the tiny scratches that had decorated her face were now a faded memory. She inhaled the blood soaked air when another scent caught her attention.

She blinked; the smell of roses in the distance, slowly approaching the village.

Youko was returning.


	7. Demons

**Chapter Seven: Demons**

The fire crackled under the giant cast iron cauldron, sending the aroma of cooked flesh and fresh vegetables into the noses of the villagers. The group of women and children approached the feeding grounds which had a slew of long tables and benches, built by the resident carpenter- who Kira finally was introduced to that evening when the woman, called Kimber, handed her crutches she fastened by hand. A thank you, the woman said with a bow, for healing her daughter of the pneumonia that threatened her life. Kira was taken aback by the generosity, but accepted the gift as it definitely made navigating the compound more bearable, as the alternative was haphazardly hopping on her good leg to the other side of the village. Another woman, who sewed, presented both Kira and Ophelia with new clothes that actually fit quite nicely- which definitely raised more questions than Kira wanted answers to, but once again, she accepted the gifts.

Kira sat on the floor, near the warmth of the flames, tying her little sister's hair in a tight braid so she could actually see for once. She hummed the song over Lia's whining that she was hurting her and laughed when Hiei came over to scold her for being a baby. The chatter grew louder as many of the demons with animal spirits buried in their souls discussed the approaching group of men. Many of the other women, whose sense of smell was not as developed, rushed to their friends asking about husbands and sons who had left a week ago.

But the roses overpowered them.

"There," Kira released Ophelia's hair, "all those tears for nothing."

Ophelia turned to her sister with a pout; and Kira was relieved to see her eyes returned to ice blue, sans the white overlay that stole the life from her infant eyes. Maybe now the children would hush hold their vile tongues and let her sister be.

Lia looked back at Hiei, who had taken a seat in front of her. "How does it look?"

Hiei shrugged, "I hold no opinion on hair." He absentmindedly touched his own black, spiky, locks which defied gravity.

She tugged a few strands from the front of her hair, "I like it in my face. So no one can see me."

"Now stop that, I don't want to do it over." Kira held her sister's hand tightly, preventing her from pulling out more of the braid.

"Listen to you sister," Hiei mumbled, "It looks better out of your face."

Ophelia's face lit up at the compliment. "Really? You mean that?"

"Hn," Hiei turned away.

Kira stifled a laugh when Ophelia elected to plop herself as close to Hiei as he would allow, which was against his arm. He didn't move, but his eyes went wide at the sudden affection. She figured he contemplated throwing the girl off him, but changed his mind when a group of children walked past them, looked at Ophelia and laughed, before jogging away. He narrowed his eyes, looking back at them with a warning before returning to Ophelia. She began rambling off all the facts she knew about trees, either not phased by the children's laughter or ignored them this time.

James walked by them, pausing to look into the dense forest with narrowed green eyes which glowed against the moonlight.

"He's drunk," He stated with a pinch of anger in his voice.

"Oh?" Kira looked at the forest, she flicked her wolf ears to hear any sounds of a group approaching. She was shocked when the faint sound of laughter tickled the inside of her ears. "Sounds like they are in a good mood, though."

James grunted. Displeased. "You can't smell the alcohol?"

Kira shrugged, "The smell of dead bird cooking is too good to care about the stench of a man."

The slightest smile escaped James clenched lips, before returning to a morose frown. A few women ran to James, begging him to reveal what he knows. He waved them away and approached the woods, lamenting that _of course he would come home drunk._

Intrigue now captured Kira. The stories of infamous bandit, Youko Kurama, never mentioned a lust for the drink. Only his ruthlessness in battle which was outweighed by his demand for all the riches demon world could provide him. Though maybe the stories had been wrong. If she had told her father this nightmare of a demon, an icon to those who fancied themselves _evil_, was in charge of a village of mostly women and children, and who dared to leave the safety of his plants to fetch them food and supplies to last the winter, he wouldn't believe her for a minute. The pack leader would warn her that men like Youko always had an ulterior motive. He would betray his allies when it suited him; at least that's what the stories had laid out.

The laughter grew to an obnoxious volume, now signaling their rapid approach through the woods. The women could hardly contain their excitement when out of the woods all eleven men that had left with the silver-haired fox emerged from the darkness. The stench of cheap alcohol hit Kira's nose- now understanding what James was complaining about- as did the sounds of off-key singing attacked her eardrums. And with them, two wagons filled with supplies being pulled by...what humans called horses.

Ophelia jumped up with a gasp, "I've only seen humans on those, sister." She tapped Hiei aggressively, who pushed her hand away from him, "Do you know what those are?"

"Of course I know what horses are," he barked, "I'm not an idiot."

She wasn't phased by Hiei's tone. Ophelia looked back at her sister, whose face was drenched in confusion: of where he got those horses, all those supplies including enough meat to fill up one wagon entirely and another filled with boxes, or even the wagons. Kira supposed if anyone could...it would be Youko.

Youko, whose arms were extended to show off his loot. He walked through the cluster of women who tried to hug him and praise his valiant efforts. Kira rolled her eyes at the display, suddenly no longer entranced by the seven foot monster- now revealing himself to be a very lucky drunk.

"Please please," he slurred, "do not thank me. Thank these two idiots." Youko grabbed one of the two; a brown haired demon with pointed ears and yellow eyes of a lizard. "This moron and his brother found a portal to human world-"

"Right next to a whole factory of shit!" the demon yelled over Youko, earning him a chokehold.

"What did I say about interrupting me," Youko scolded.

"S-sorry Youko!" He whined. "I'm just excited is all!"

Youko released him, grabbing him by the shoulders and presenting him to the adoring fans. "Amar here and Akul- where's Akul- Akul stop making out with your wife and get over here!" Akul stumbled towards Youko, with a huge smile on his face that mimicked his brothers. "These two idiots infiltrated the human world and dismantled two buildings filled to the brim with food and medical supplies."

"And alcohol, don't forget the alcohol," a nameless demon yelled from the wagon holding up two bottles of clear liquid.

"Ah yes, how could I forget," the fox demon laughed, "who would have thought such weaklings would prove themselves useful!"

Everyone cheered.

Hiei and Kira exchanged silent looks which translated to: _is he always like this? _And _He's an idiot. _While Ophelia remained locked on the two black horses, that grunted as the demons crowded them.

Not everyone was cheering though. James appeared in front of Youko, his eyes narrowed in rage which only earned a laugh from the older demon.

"Yes," James mocked, "because alcohol is so important to the survival of this village."

Youko shoved his two new favorites gently out of the way and approached the annoyed dog with nothing but a smile and eyes daring James to provoke him more. "Don't be a buzzkill, Jameson."

"You reek of alcohol and bad decisions."

"Well then," Youko pulls a skinny bottle of booze hidden in the pocket of his bottoms, "get on my level, dog."

They stared at each other for several tense seconds. The demons who weren't distracted by unloading the supplies held their collective breaths. If one, or both, bared their fangs, this night would end in blood, sweat, and tears. But James clenched his jaw shut, shoving the brick that rested in his chest down into his stomach, to fester for another day. He didn't grab the bottle, however- he wasn't going to stoop to the drunken fox's level and allow him to be bested by experience. Instead he shifted out of the way so Youko could see the three other demons who had not moved from the cauldron. Two of the three staring daggers at the fox.

"Hm," Youko shoved the bottle into James chest, daring him to drop it which the dog opted against, and walked towards the group. Golden eyes focused on Kira who raised her demon energy at the sight of him. If Youko took offense to such a response, he didn't let on: "It's nice to see you awake and...well...not quite on your feet." He shifts his attention to Ophelia, who crotched down and attempted to hide behind Hiei. "Scared?"

"You're being a drunk fool," Hiei scolded, "Of course she's scared. She has no idea who you are."

"Stranger danger," Youko knelt down, "That's a smart reaction little one. And what was your name again?"

She doesn't respond, instead looking at her sister. Kira shifted in her seat and forced a smile past her lips. "Lia. She likes to be called Lia."

"Oh? Is Lia a mute?"

"No," Hiei stood up, now at eye level with the croutchingYouko, "You're acting like a moron and scaring her. Go bother someone else."

Youko laughed at the red-eyed demon, who gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, "Are you mad that I left you behind again, boy?"

"Hn," Hiei crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm mad that your disgusting breath is in my face."

The fox demon laughed at his smaller friend, ruffling his hair as he stood up- and if Lia hadn't been clutching the fabric of his black shirt, Hiei might have drawn his sword despite the swift consequence of such an action.

"Lord Youko," a soft female voice appeared behind him. Youko turned to see Hilde, one of the other nurses who frequented the main house. She was meeker than Sem, and a bit warmer than the third nurse- Meeka- who often hid in the basement taking inventory. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to let you know what a help Ms. Kira has been during this time."

The silver-haired demon arched an eyebrow. Hilde, trying to be polite, genly nodded in the direction of Kira. "Ah yes, Kira," he said, looking at the wolf-demon, "What has our guest done for us?"

"The children became ill after you left; she cured them using the plants from around the village. She is quite trained."

Kira didn't much like being spoken about as if she wasn't sitting there. She also didn't much like she couldn't move to stand up without looking as drunk as Youko certainly was- cursing how slow her leg was deciding to heal. And while she appreciated Hilde vouching for her before Sem- who was oddly missing from the reunion- could curse both girls' names to the leader of the pack, she would rather it didn't sound like the violet haired woman was begging for Youko to show mercy.

"Hrm," Youko pondered, not taking his eyes off Kira, who was emboldened to stare right back at him, "I guess we have use for you, yet."

The new morning sun threatened to breach the horizon. Kira stood against the balcony, her makeshift wooden crutches not too far from her, staring into the blackness of the dark forest. Every few minutes, she gently put weight on her bad leg. Tightening pressure wrapped around her nerves, and she lifted the leg back in the air. Waited. Tried again with the unused muscles straining and screaming at her brain. But Kira continued on, taking longer breaks in between and breathing calmly.

She wasn't paying mind to the pain. Instead, stared into the distance where flames had once risen. The sky giving way to light pink and purple as the yellow ball of light slowly broke through the night's clouds. A scentless wind wisped past her raven hair, sending it whipping through the air. Still, she did not move save for the slow ascent and descent of her leg. Engrossed in her thoughts, she didn't hear the door slide open behind her.

"How long will you be occupying this space?" Youko's low voice bellowed into her ears as it shattered the unnatural silence. Kira turned, unamused at the disruption. There he stood in the door, arms over his chest.

It had been hours since she saw him. While the rest of the village engaged in celebration for their bounty, eating large helpings of the stew that had been cooking before the return of Youko and reaping the rewards of their pillaging, Youko disappeared into the home. Sem, who opted to skip out on the festivities, made herself known by finding James and scolding him for how he ran things while Youko was gone, before following the silver-haired fox into the house. No doubt, Kira pondered, to invalidate everything Hilde had said about her.

Not that it would matter.

"Am I intruding?" she returned his neutral gaze, willing the beating of her heart to slow to a resting pace.

Youko smiled sardonically as he sensed her heart slow. "I come here for silent contemplation. I'm afraid you would be a distraction."

"Well, we wouldn't want that." Kira pushed the weight of her body off the balcony and turned to make her way to the door. She decided to conveniently forget the assistance of the crutches. Putting a bit more weight on her healing leg to give the illusion she was steady on her feet. She ignored her body's protest, but Youko instead placed his hands up in a sign of defeat and stopped her advancement.

"Please, don't wound yourself further on my account."

Kira gritted her teeth, allowing her fangs to bare every so slightly as a warning. "Save your concern," she growled, "My sister and I will not be a burden upon you for much longer."

"Oh? This is a new development." His voice dropped, raspy words sending tingles down her spine.

"We have to bury the pack," she stands tall, a feat that impressed even Youko, as she shifted most of her demon energy to accommodate the broken leg's inability to hold weight. Kira further tests the fox's patience staring directly into his narrowed gold eyes.

"I'm afraid I can not allow that."

"Excuse me?" Kira faltered slightly, her leg giving way. She gripped the banister for support, cursing her entire body for betraying her. "You are not in charge of me."

"I am in charge of these people-"

"Your minions?"

"My subjects," he answered sharply.

She clenched her jaw; were any of the bedtime stories true? He sighed, closing his eyes as if to free himself from the crushing judgement of her gaze. He continued, "I didn't ask for this responsibility."

"Then my sister and I departing will be to your benefit. Two less to concern yourself with."

"Humans," he opened his eyes and she can't help but soften her face at those two worn gold coins. "They've been spotted nearby. Your leaving could alert them to our location; putting everyone at risk."

Kira assumed she was a prisoner. A death sentence commuted to life surrounded by a mis-mosh of demons from all over the demon world, and the warden a criminal himself. A bandit. Foxes weren't known for pack mentality. While they may form groups, they were solitary hunters. And while Youko attracted demons to his ranks, at the mere thought of reaping the benefits of his skills, he didn't form connections with them. Bonds. Like the wolves in the Nisshoku pack formed from birth.

But...and she thought...that was a correct characterization at one time. Now before her, a leader with the same disrupted eyes her father had once. Laying down his armor in front of a stranger in an effort to convince her to stay to save the life of these weaklings he called subjects. To save her life. And her sisters'.

But-

"You understand, however, I am the last of the Nisshoku pack- one of the largest remaining wolf youkai packs in the region. I have a responsibility, as the daughter of the pack leader. Their souls can not enrich the earth without a proper send off and they will doom to become rabid ghouls. A plague. I must put them to rest."

Youko's eyes narrowed and the visage of villainy returned. But Kira held firm, standing as straight as she could with what little demon energy she had left in her. Honor. She still had her honor- if it was the only part of her left. Youko's demon energy overwhelmed her. Only comparable to her father, and he was gone- a testament to the power of the humans lurking just beyond the barrier.

And she wanted to travel with a child?

She had to.

"You helped quell the illness, so I'm told."

She nods.

"I see," he lowered his demon energy, "If you can find it in you to hold fast this foolish plan until the sunsets tomorrow evening, I may find some men to escort you...and aid you in putting to rest your family."

Kira's eyes went wide- she did not anticipate an offer of help from the unamused demon before her. But the help would be beneficial. "I can...find it in me to wait."

"Good," Youko walked towards her and she clenched her fists in a veiled attempt to feel strong in the presence of a killer. He stopped inches from her body and seemed to tower over her despite her reaching the tip of his chiseled jaw. She didn't divert her eyes. Staring right into his golden orbs searching for any indication he was going to rescind his kind offer and end any talk of leaving right there. He, instead, stared into her bright browns with a sense of...wonder. He smelled her potent fear of him, but she didn't cower like a pup. She didn't impress upon him any savior worship that some of the other men and women in the village did, but she never outwardly disrespected him.

Kira was strong. He could tell. She gritted her teeth and hid the pain in her leg just to stand at his level. No one would dare to do such a thing, except for James- who earned that right over the last several years of partnership- but he's only known this wolf for mere hours. And yet.

Youko finally smiled, chuckling, "You've made yourself useful, Kira. Would be such a waste to kill you now."

He brushed past her but she didn't relent for a second.

Instead, Kira brought her fingers to her lips to stifle the small laugh that escapes- and he stopped.

Stopped but didn't turn.

He couldn't let her see the smile her soft laugh caused.


	8. Wolf Totem

Chapter Eight: Wolf Totem

Kira did not expect much from others. Raised in isolation, she relied on her pack for her survival. Seeking aid from anyone outside their circle was not worth the risk of betrayal.

My, how that worked out.

She swallowed that bitter pill. Accepting that she and her sister would have to bury the pack on their own- and perhaps flee the wrath of the fox demon and his band of criminals. Imagine her surprise, when two hours before the sun set, Youko entered what would be considered her room and informed her they would leave within the hour. After silence for the entire day. She exchanged a look with Lia, who mouthed "told you so" before returning to her important work- knitting a scarf for Hiei as a thank you for his gift. Kira wanted to inform Ophelia that she never actually made her concerns known- but decided to bite her tongue.

As the sun slowly made its descent over the horizon, Kira and Lia made their way out of the house. Earlier in the day, the seamstress, who Kira now knew as Letti, returned to the two girls the clothes that had been on their back when they entered the village, completely restored. She thanked the woman, even as the smell of human blood reached her nose, impressed with the craftsmanship. The Nisshoku pack wore a black leather jerkin on top, stitched with colored thread that corresponded with their rank, and matching black leather shorts for easy movement- the men usually wearing loose fitting trousers instead. Both with their packs emblem tattooed on the right side-black tribal art that takes the form of a wolf howling at the moon- in the center.

Kira noted the irony of the silver stitching around her jerkin (representing her affiliation with the royalty) and the fact that she was housed with the notorious silver fox. Destiny and her wicked sense of humor. She also noted Lia's stitching- black, muted- and frowned. No emblem graced the shorts of her sister. She also told Lia "soon"- that she had to wait till she learned to hunt. Even as the other pups in the village proudly wore theirs.

"This is uncomfortable," Lia whined, pulling at the tight fabric, "I want to wear the dress Letti made for me."

"Later," Kira looked into the black forest, "This is to honor our family."

Lia pouted and plopped herself on the floor. It was about the time Youko said to meet. Near the northern part of the village, where the plants swayed blissfully in the chilly twilight wind; no longer aggravated by the presence of the two strangers. Kira remained hesitant, even as Hiei emerged from the black woods outside the village.

"No humans," he said blankly, "Are you sure you want to go back? It doesn't look good over there."

Kira blinked at Hiei's sudden arrival, "Where did you come from exactly?"

Hiei huffed, "Youko wanted me to scout the area; make sure no humans were lurking around. Looks like they took whatever they thought was valuable and burned down the rest."

"Are there ghosts," Lia trembled, biting the side of her lip.

"What a stupid question," Hiei rolled his eyes, "Of course they're ghosts now. They died a horrible and violent death."

"That's quite enough, Hiei." Youko emerged from the wooded area with three new demons Kira had seen around the village. "No need to scare the child."

"I'm preparing her," he countered, "We don't need her screaming like a baby when one of them jumps out and tries to eat her."

Ophelia's eyes went wide as Hiei chuckled at the fear radiating off the young girl. Kira would have smacked him upside the head if she thought she could get away with such an action. Instead, she moved her eyes to the three new allies.

"James regretfully can not make it," Youko continued, "I brought some of my more capable men."

He introduced them. First was Sazu, a phoenix demon- one of the few left in existance after being hunted for generations- and was the shortest with a light orange complexion and long fiery hair that feathered like a bird. Next to him was Felipe, a humanoid demon with elflish ears and long black nails that stood nearly as tall as Kira herself. Finally, Skull. That wasn't his given name, he assured the women. He lost his lips due to disease leaving a Glasgow like smile permanently on his face. And in an effort to embrace his new reality, tattooed dark circles around his yellow eyes. His bone white hair and fang-like teeth added to the look.

"All three have special abilities that I felt would be beneficial to this undertaking."

"Also if we die, Youko probably wouldn't be too broken up," Skull laughed, chomping on his teeth.

"And we are the only three brave enough to help," Felipe added.

"_And _ how could we say no to a beautiful woman?" Sazu bowed.

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Tsk," he scoffed, "Let's go. Daylight has almost left us- we'll be burying burnt corpses in the dark. More chances to see ghouls."

Youko reminded himself to teach Hiei the meaning of tack when they returned. But he was more entranced by the look on Kira's face as she scanned each demon. Analyzing them. She could sense the moderate demon energy radiating off them- and maybe Skull was right- Youko wouldn't cry over their corpses if they were dumb enough to die. But she remained stone. Not letting on if she was pleased or angered by his choice of help. Only her brown eyes, wilted in sadness, gave away any emotion.

They navigated slowly through the dense black forest. Crouched low, listening intently for any unwanted guests. Sazu and Felipe took the front- both had impeccable eye sight in the dark-followed by Skull who scanned the area with his macabre smile, looking like a fearsome ghoul himself. Kira and Ophelia lurked behind him, holding hands as they kept focus on the ground-overstepping pot holes and rocks. Youko and Hiei took the rear. What was left of the sun eclipsed by the shadows of the clouds, and by the time they entered the pack's territory, the fireflies would be the only source of light.

The air smelled of flame as they approached. The wind carried the unnatural chill that burned the back of Kira's throat. She gripped Ophelia's hand tighter and hummed the song Farore taught her. She sought the comfort of his sister, but would not be granted a reprieve.

"NO!" Ophelia shouted and stopped dead in her tracks. The group froze in position, the three men in front on alert in case the sound of her shrill voice caught unwanted attention.

Kira jumped a few steps forward, startled, "Lia what in Leto are you doing?" She whispered yelled, grabbing her sister's hand again to pull her along. "We're almost there. Just beyond these trees."

Ophelia wept and attempted to pull her hand back, "I don't want to!"

The wolf demon squeezed her sister's hand; taking a breath to calm her sense. The pain in her leg throbbed suddenly and she cursed her pride for leaving behind her crutches.

"Lia, sweetheart, we talked about this. We have to bury our family."

Lia shook her head violently in response. "I see them, they're angry! I don't WANT to!"

"Who does she see?" Felipe snapped quietly.

"I don' see nothing" Skull growled, "I have the best eyesight here."

"No one is challenging you, Skull," Youko scolded, "She's seeing ghosts." He glared at Hiei who suddenly found the ground below him interesting.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lia," Kira huffed, "Let's keep moving."

"No, no, no, no, NO!" She ripped her hand from her sister. "I see them. They're angry. Their eyes are bleeding and there's a black hole where their mouth is supposed to be! They are screaming at me to go away! I won't go! I'm scared."

Ophelia threw herself to the ground, shielding her milky blue eyes with her hands tightly that Kira thought she might try to claw them out- again. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the volume of her sobs increased. The hair on the back of the other demons' necks started to bristle. Energies rising.

"It's fine," Hiei spoke up finally, "I'll stay here with her. Go bury your pack."

Kira wanted to protest, but sensed the unease around her. They were pushing their luck. "Okay then. We'll be quick." She limped passed her escort, clenching her teeth until she swore they would crack. So close and her tiny burden was causing a scene.

Youko nodded at the three demons to proceed with Kira before turning to Hiei. "Stay close. Stay quiet."

Kira expected the worst.

At least, that was the lie she told herself. She felt them die. She watched them burn. But maybe, hope? Hope was a fleeting dream at best; now faced with the cruel reality- no more chances to run. And she questioned her own motives for coming back. Did she really want to put them to rest? Or just clear her conscious that she did _everything she could_.

Another lie she whispered before bed.

Truth was she ran as the flames nipped at her heels, and swore never to look back. Now the fire was gone, but she still felt the heat clutching her chest. The charred skeleton of her pack's territory now mocked her as the wind carried the smell of ash and flesh into her nose. _The ash was their bodies_. She inhaled her people. She couldn't even acknowledge unrecognizable bodies scattered on the ground. The gutted huts they once lived in. _Nothing was left to mourn_.

Weighed down by her guilt- her failure- her leg gave way and she nearly collapsed to her knees as her sister did, if not for Youko. The silver fox grabbed her by her elbow, keeping her steady.

"Don't. You must show strength. You are this pack's leader now. You must stand firm even if it kills you."

She wanted to scream- _What pack!- _but noticed how his men quietly and effectively gathered the bodies they could, or dug holes, or inspected the huts that were still intact. She understood. And through the pain stood up straight, swallowed the tears that wanted to fall, and accepted her reluctant roll. Youko released her and joined his men.

She wondered if her father was watching.

If he would be proud.

Hiei circled Ophelia, looking into the dark forest for the monsters that plagued the strange child.. Not even the fireflies illuminated the night. The sky felt the moon's absence. Blackness. He looked into the abyss, however, and nothing stared back- at least from what he could see. Ophelia trembled on the cold wet ground, eyes still clamped shut.

"You really don't see anything?" She whimpered.

"Nothing. Just the trees."

She slowly opened her eyes.

Just a few yards away, the ghoulish figure with holes for eyes opened its mouth to a waterfall of maggots and blood. Whipping its tail against the fireflies that dared to get too close. It's white skin stitched together with blue veins that pulse across its broken body. It screams.

Ophelia yelped and buried her head in her knees. "You don't hear that!"

Hiei, confused by her fear of the invisible, knelt in front of her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. If she hadn't smelt the fire that burns from ki, she would have mistaken him for a ghost. His frigid hands sent a chill down her spine in the same way it warmed her. He shook her slightly. "What you are seeing can not hurt you-" He wanted to say, _it's not real_, but it was real enough to her.

Ophelie sniffled, "I wish I was brave like you."

"Hn," Hiei bitterly chuckled, "it comes with practice."

She cautiously lifted her head, meeting his oddly comforting red eyes that glare at her from two slits. She didn't take it personally. "They're whispering all around me," she continued, not daring to look just over his shoulder.

"What do they whisper?"

She paused, her milky blue orbs shudder it seemed. Back and forth- from ice to snow. "That they hate me. Like you'll one hate me."

"That's okay, I already hate you."

She let out an exasperated sigh while he chuckled- an alien sound coming from the young boy. He shook his head, "They died violently, full of rage. They are just taking it out on you because you allow them the privilege of your second sight. Reject them, and they will find something else to prey on."

Hiei sat comfortably in front of her as if to shield her from the ghoulish beasts that lurk, even if he would say he denied her accusations. But her face changed. The smooth, round, face like a sickly peach, sharpened. Fear drained from her eyes, replaced with two narrow- empty looking slits.

"You do not understand." Her voice was low. Hiei tilted his head, interested. "It doesn't work that way."

"And how does it work?" his acerbic tone matched hers. "You fear invisible enemies in the night, but can drain a living thing of life? Pick an act and stick with it. Are you the child who cries over the dark or are you…."

Hiei stopped. He noticed her breathing had slowed to a dangerous pace- or was she even breathing? He could barely make out the details of her features through the darkness- but he could see the light from a random demon's campsite a few miles out. He could make out the damage from the trees to his right- spirit energy had clipped the bar- and some of the animals that scurried past them in fear. The fur on their backs at attention. He could even see the outline of her form, the paleness of her skin, but he couldn't...see her.

"I'll ask again: What are you?"

"Stop asking me questions you do not want the answer to." She responded blankly. "They asked the same questions." She pointed over her shoulder. "And look what happened to them?'

"Are you threatening me?" He tensed, but did not go for his sword that rested next to him. Never too far, but felt like miles away.

She broke the night with her smile, "Never. You're my best friend. We are going to be doing this for a very long time."

"Doing what?"

"Killing time. Killing things."

"We haven't killed anything together."

"We will- it will be so much fun. And then, you'll figure it out. But until then," She pressed her finger to her lips. "Can you keep a secret?"

He thought about this for a moment. She wasn't an immediate threat- at least he willed that thought into his mind. Let it repeat. _Not a threat. All an act._ She dropped her finger and nodded. "I trust you, Hiei." She gingerly took his hand; he didn't flinch. Her hands were as cold as his. Like a corpse. He didn't question her assertion. He healed her. He didn't tell her secrets. Even the ones he didn't know. What he questioned, his trust in her.

An image flashed in his head. The head of a human ripped in half. Blood and brains sprinkle the gold ornate walls. The bright wood floors. He could even taste the blood in his mouth before the image evaporated as if it never existed. _Interesting_.

A sudden frigid wind washed over them like a knife. A painful wolf's howl against their ears like an echo right before your body succumbs to sleep. Loud and quiet at the same time. The air that had once been heavy with reject lifted. Replaced with...roses.

"Sister did it." Ophelia said, her eyes returning to the wide open blues and looked over Hiei's shoulder. "They're gone."

"At rest," Hiei takes back his hand, "Good. I couldn't stand the smell much longer. Not like blood and rotting corpses. Smelled like-"

"Mold." She finished his sentence. "And spoiled eggs."

"Right, like…" He stopped and snapped his eyes back to her. Ophelia looked like...her again. A child age six. Small face with big cheeks. Bright blue eyes. Her hair an absolute mess as usual. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she almost sounded confused. "The ghosts are gone. We can go home now."

Hiei nodded, relenting that received all the answers he could pull out of her for the night. Or maybe they would sneak out to the edge of the forest when their respective nightmares rattle their sleep. Where they could speak more freely, out of earshot of the dead or living. He rose from the ground, extending his hand to help his tiny friend. She took his aid, again, and he pulled her from ground- her bare legs covered in filth. He wondered how practical shorts were for battle.

"You're going to like it when you're older." She said absentmindedly, not exactly understanding the full power of her words. Empty. Like a parrot.

Now Hiei's red eyes go wide, "I'm going to have to ask you to _stop doing that already_."

She huffed, "I can't help it!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "It just happens."

"We are going to have to work on that then."

The rest of the group emerges. Kira, this time, leading the men. Her head held high while tears brimmed at the edges of her brown eyes but dare not the fall. She barely looks at her sister, "We buried who we could find."

"I don't hear them anymore," Ophelia said meekly, biting the side of her lip and looking at the ground. "I'm sorry." Her voice trembled and Kira sighed, grabbing her sister's small hand.

"My fault. Father would never allow me to go to funerals of fallen packs. He knew the damage that could do to a child. I just-thought I was alone." She looked behind her, Youko stood in front of the other three demons, covered in the same dirt as his allies. "I guess I wasn't. Let's go home. Youko tells me James figured out your favorite soup- he's making it right now for us."

A sparkly returned to Ophelia's eyes. The pair walked together, followed by Felipe, Skull, and Sazu, to keep a watchful eye. Youko and Hiei paused, hanging behind until the group vanished into the darkness.

"Well?" Youko questioned, leaving his eyes on the woods.

"She definitely was seeing _something_," Hiei responded, "it seems like she can see ghosts and ghouls- whether it was her pack or not, I don't know. She didn't tell me what they looked like."

"Hrm," Youko shifted, "No bodies remained of the children."

"Oh? Maybe they were burnt completely?"

"By human flames? Would have left something behind- if it had been you," Youko smiled, "We wouldn't even have found the outline of a corpse."

"Hn. So what are you thinking?"

Youko shrugged, "We found most of the adults. Charred beyond recognition. I was shocked that Kira was able to identify her father when we found up. Still holding his sword. We buried him with it in a mass grave."

"And?"

Youko paused, narrowing his eyes at his own thoughts. "No children. Burnt everything, but did not take the valuables. A woman was hanging from a tree, she was gutted before she was burnt alive. Kira told me she was usually the caretaker of the children."

"So-"

"Traffickers."

Hiei nodded though he wasn't exactly sure if he agreed. The lack of children could attest to that- but females were valuable. As were the wolf tails that sold on the black market to create tacky jackets for human women to wear as trophies.

"Do you really think that's why the pack was attacked?"

Youko didn't immediately answer. He weighed the outcome of his next words. The two girls were found with humans around them- monologuing as humans tend to do. An obnoxious habit that ended in the death for the few who attempted that action with him. They said something to her. "To Kira's credit, did anyone really ask why?" No. Humans attacking demons. Normalcy. He finally shifted his eyes to Hiei. "What do you think? I value your opinion in this situation."

Hiei wanted to mock the 300 year old fox for taking advice from a seven-year-old boy he'd just met. But he also felt a certain rise in confidence when Youko looked at him as a peer instead of a child. Pride. That someone as strong as the thief would view Hiei more of a confidant than some of his older allies. But Hiei was battling another feeling that made his stomach drop.

"Demon's that look like humans are big money. Could be why they tracked them down- why the human coward directed all his energy towards Kira." But that doesn't explain everything, does it? "We could just ask them?"

Youko nodded, "All in due time."


	9. Possession

Chapter Nine- Possession

Two months passed, the dawn of winter approached as Kira and Ophelia settled into their new normal. Youko granted them sanctuary in the main abode, alongside the likes of him, James, Hiei and the three nurses. Kira's room faced the garden she tended, which grew ten-fold since she became a fixture in the village. And even as the colder months crept through the forest like a grim reaper, the garden continued to grow lush with life; a combination of Kira's demon energy and utilizing the heat from Hiei's pyrokinetics.

Kira would greet the new morning's on the balcony, a cup of tea from James warming her calloused hands, and stare at the vegetation like a concerned mother watching over her children. Once day broke over the gray clouds, Kira would make her way to her project and harvest what she could, plant replacements, turn soil, and extend her territory to further into the woods. Her job to keep the village fed and well, she took with utmost conviction and she was thanked handsomely by her new pack.

Her sister didn't seem as inclined to assimilate to the norms of the village.

On the other side of the house, in the same small dark room her body was placed in two months prior, Ophelia would often be found sitting up in her bed and staring at the wall she shared with Hiei.

In crushing silence.

Her milky eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. Her mind a labyrinth.

Past. Present. Future. Always changing.

She would sit there until a frustrated "fine!" echoed through the cracks in the wall, and her chapped lips curled into a smile.

Hiei would appear in the door of her room, his own red eyes glowing. "Ready for your training, I suppose?"

For two months, before the sun completely engulfed the sky, Hiei and Ophelia snuck into the northernmost part of the forest and away from the prying eyes of Sem. There, in a clearing, surrounded by black trees and their newly formed red leaves, Hiei tried to unlock the secrets of Ophelia's powers. What he learned didn't surprise him. She was able to extract memories or inject images into the minds of people near her- especially if she felt threatened by them. A defense mechanism, he mused. She might have even had the ability of foresight, from the carefully constructed sentences she littered between their meetings. The nightmares she had of their deaths, which came in waves- she described- and often as symbols. Never, she assured him, did she get the whole story.

At least, that's what she told him. Whether or not she was telling him the truth was another matter altogether. A question that coiled around his mind at night when he laid awake lamenting at the lack of progress they were making. In those trainings, he would create memories in his mind, like a movie, that she could relate verbally as if she had been there- though she lacked the emotion tied to the event. A consequence, he thought, of the fact his memories were fabricated. If he used a real memory, he noticed, he would feel the pain.

One day, he used the memory of when he slaughtered his original allies. Not only did he relive the pain of exerting his child-like muscles- the throbbing in his forearms, the vibrations in his biceps when his sword can incontact with his foes- but also the pain of the leader's head being sliced open.

That wasn't fun.

And he would have passed out from the pain had Ophelia not suddenly switched to a happy memory- when he first found Kurama. And while he was grateful for the shift, he wasn't exactly pleased that she was able to dig through his mind with hardly any effort.

That was the second thing he learned.

While other demons would be drained from using their psychic energies, Ophelia skipped away from their trainings as if rejuvenated. She lacked balance. Unnatural.

But all of that was of no concern for Hiei. No. He was more interested in the ability she either could not replicate, or flat out refused to: life draining. Or soul stealing. He hadn't decided on a name for the technique; he couldn't unless he saw it again. But anytime he gave her the opportunity, she would cry and tantrum like a toddler- well she was a toddler- and he would be forced to cut the training short at the risk of drawing the attention of the dog, the wolf, or the bitch nurse.

One time, they came close to being discovered. Hiei, growing tired of the infant act Ophelia put on when she was being stubborn, captured a medium sized rodent that looked like a cross between a human world opossum and a badger. Violent creators, but also weak. He set it on her and disappeared into the tree line. As it ran at her small form, teeth bare and snarling with a low growl, Hiei had hoped she would produce the same outcome as the plant.

Instead, Ophelia, having never seen such a vile creator with mustard eyes and matted black fur, screamed so loud it frightened the crows living in the trees and ran towards civilization.

Of course the whole village heard.

And that was the last time Hiei really tried. The verbal lashing he received from Youko- which included demoralizing his efforts, accusations of being a predator himself, and the reminder that he was also a child- was enough to keep him from ever talking to the little tattle-tale again.

Of course, he didn't stop helping her. Especially when she returned that night with a gift she made for him, as an apology. A scarf. He had accepted the symbol of a truce with the same unenthusiasm he was known for and slammed the door in her face. He still spent those early mornings bringing Ophelia into the woods and helping her better understand her powers. Though no more real-life scenarios.

After their trainings, once the sun burned through the cold air, Ophelia would be ushered into the mock-schoolhouse with the rest of the demon children, while Hiei did his patrols around the perimeter. Ophelia didn't care for these hours spent away from her friend and her sister. Sem led the small class of children and taught them some basic life skills she felt were important to the upbringing of kind and respectful children. Knitting. Growing herbs, which she would sometimes reluctantly give to Kira to teach, and proper manners passed down from her old clan. Ophelia found these days dedicated to Sem's teaching hard to engage in. Her focus often flew out the window, staring into the distance and allowing her mind to take her consciousness away.

She engaged in repetitive behaviors. Biting her nails. Shaking her leg. Tapping her fingers against the floor. Using the knitting needles to dig holes in the flimsy foundation. While a chorus of giggles erupted at her expense and Sem found the distractions to be a direct insult to her teaching.

A week after the incident with the rodent Hiei sent her, Ophelia was feeling particularly flushed with self-loathing. She knew Hiei was still sore with her, even if he did still join her in the woods and ask her questions she couldn't possibly articulate the answers to. He did so now with a lack of urgency, would roll his eyes frequently, and lean against his favorite tree as if bored with her entire existence. She heard how Youko scolded him. Kira excused the fox's behavior with the curse of bitter liquid loosening his tongue and clouding his judgement. Ophelia wished Kira would just tell her he was drunk instead of hiding behind pretty words.

A crack against her small hands snapped Lia out of her daydream as pain rushed through her fingers.

"How many times do I have to tell you, child!" Sem screamed, "Pay attention!"

Ophelia grabbed her wounded hand. Her knuckles screaming as a red bruise enveloped them. Tears brim her blue eyes and she swallowed the cry that wished to escape her mouth. Laughter from the other children nearly drowned out the rest of Sem's shouts. "Look at your plant," she threw her hands up in frustration after setting eyes on the once green plant, now brown and wilted, "What did you do to it?!"

Ophelia's breathing increased. She tried to focus on what Sem was scolding her for, but found the budding pain in her hand and rage in her heart a distraction. But she could still hear them laughing. Mocking taunts.

"Your sister gave us these flowers to practice!" Sem continued, grabbing the back of Lia's hair and forcing the six year old to stare at her destruction. "You know how much energy it takes to create these plants! Do you even care? All the effort your poor sister puts into this and look how you thank her. Why does everything you touch die?" Sem released her hair by aggressively shoving her and walked to the front of the class, complimenting the other children's lush green plants which budded with different colors, representing the amount of energy they gave for life.

Ophelia sat there, clutching her hand. Breathing aggressively as she watched that woman pat every child's head with appreciation. How every child smiled up at their instructor and then turned with a snarl thrown at Ophelia. And she replayed that line over and over in her head. Tumbling through memories she had not experienced. _Everything you touch dies_. _You can't give life, only take it_. And it cut her deeper than Hiei's sword when it struck the leader of the thieves he used to associate with. And it hurt more every time it grew in her head, like a tumor. But her mouth was shut- and she wondered if Sem ever felt the pain of biting her own tongue. And she wondered how Sem would feel if her mouth couldn't move. And if all those vile things she said would cut her like tiny little knives. If she would still be as terrible a woman as she was, if she was robbed of her ability to speak?

Sem's words were replaced by guttural coughs that rocked her entire being. She hacked and sputtered, her hand flying to her mouth. And when she removed it, a pool of blood formed in her palm. Before Sem could even acknowledge, she was brought to her knees with a series of more brutal coughs that tore at her throat and esophagus. The students' muffled voices of concern could barely breach the sound of her violent hacks as she suddenly spits up a tiny metal rectangle. A pause, she hesitantly picks up the item, only to find it as sharp...as a razor blade. Eyes went wide, but she was overcome by another series of coughs that sent blood pouring from her mouth. Children screamed into the village as the red liquid stained the wood floor of the school.

And Ophelia only broke from her funny dream when Sem pointed at her, an animalistic scream escaping what was left of her mouth as it waterfalled with blood.

* * *

Kira stood before Ophelia, with Youko and James on either side of her, and all three with their arms crossed over their chests as if both on guard and trying to express their disappointment. Though, they weren't sure if disappointment was appropriate. Sitting with her knees against her chest, Ophelia tried to hide behind her hair, as if anticipating the scolding on the tip of their tongues, while attempting to be a vision of innocence.

Kira began, slowly, "Tell us what happened?" She forced her voice to be neutral as opposed to accusatory in an effort to keep her young sister from shutting down completely.

"I don't know," Ophelia muttered, her voice sounding as small as she felt under the gaze of the three adults in the room. "Sem-san started coughing up blood. And all the children were yelling."

"What happened before that?" Kira pushed, "Before Sem started coughing."

Ophelia looked away for a moment. Pause. Trying to keep her mind as blank as Youko's stare. Then she looked at her sister, with big pitiful blue eyes and extended her hand, "Sem hit me with her stick and yelled at me."

No one moved for a few moments. Ophelia frozen with her bruised hand already showing signs of purple and red. James was the one who arched an eyebrow at his two comrades and advanced towards Ophelia. He knelt down and took her hand gently.

"Hm, can you make a fist?" She complied with the demand, winching appropriately. "I'll see if Issara can make some ice to help with the swelling." He looks back at Kira and Youko- both statues staring at Ophelia with vacant and narrowed gazes. Offended by their coldness towards the young girl, he continued. "The children confirmed Sem smacked your sister. Pulled her hair before she walked away."

At this, Youko shifted, "They said she didn't move from her seat. Just sat there, the whole time."

James turned back to Ophelia and smiled warmly at her, "I'll be right back with some ice and maybe candy? Will that make you feel better?"

Ophelia nodded enthusiastically and James patted her on the shoulder before taking his leave; making sure to throw the two other demons an annoyed glare. How could they just look at her like she was a threat? And speak to her as if she wasn't there?

Kira sighed, "Youko...do you mind if I speak to my sister alone?"

"Of course. I'll check in with Sem." He threw Ophelia one more look; his golden eyes soften just a bit when she doesn't return his stare; opting to look directly at her older sister. He left, though, with the slightest headache brewing between his nose.

Once alone, Kira dropped to her knees in front of Lia and grabbed her shoulders tightly. "What did you do?" She asked sternly, "What did you do to Sem?"

"Nothing," Lia squeaked, "You're hurting me sister."

"You need to tell me what you did right now?" Kira's panicked brown eyes stared deeply into Lia's blues, watching as they began to fade. She shook her, a little harder than she wanted. "What did father tell you about thinking nasty thoughts?"

"She hurt me!" Ophelia cried, the tears that had threatened to fall in the classroom cascaded down her pale cheeks. "And then she was screaming! I didn't do anything, I swear."

"Do you understand how lucky we are to be here?" Kira tightened her grip, "They could cast us out at any time, could kill us even. Do you understand? You have to control these outbursts!"

"But I didn't _do anything_ this time. I wasn't even near her."

Kira knew that didn't change anything. And maybe it would convince Youko and James, but Kira knew better. Kira knew exactly what Ophelia was capable of- though she admitted in her head, that this was the first time anything _physical_ had happened. And where could she have thought up razor blades? Had she ever even seen that before? She loosened her grip on Ophelia, who was now sobbing through broken white eyes looking at her sister as if she had inflicted the initial bruise on her hand. Kira snatched her own hands away from her sister, looking at them as if they weren't hers. Then at her sister's arms, which had an indent of her fingers forming on her skin. She felt disgusted with herself in that moment, that she could do something so vile to such a tiny being. A being that relied on her for safety.

Kira closed her eyes, taking a sharp breath, "I...I'm sorry, Lia. I just...need you to keep thinking happy thoughts okay?" She opened her eyes to look at her sister, softer this time. But Ophelia's pout and sad eyes told her everything. She felt the betrayal. "Smile, please, even if it hurts? People will trust you more if you smile."

Ophelia buried her head in her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs, crying softly. Kira felt as small as her sister. "I'll go...help James find you some candy…"

Kira took her leave, feeling worse than she had ever felt in her young life; and unsure how she would progress. Candy would have to wait, she had to see Sem and make sure the woman wouldn't have the privilege of words for a while, but keep her sane enough that the old bat would be indebted to her.

And it was only in that moment that Kira ever felt grateful to have known Ophelia's birth mother.

Once the wolf demon vacated the room, the younger sibling slowly brought her eyes to look at the empty doorway, eyes dry as a desert, white as snow with some blue tint making up a circle. She tightened her jaw shut hard enough that she thought her teeth might shatter. Her breathing frantic like a cornered animal. She was tired of being told to stifle her anger. Why was everyone else allowed to aggress besides her? Why must she construct a mask to hide all her true feelings? The plague of womankind. Must be demure. Must smile when it hurts. Do not let a flash of pain in those eyes, less you want men to defile you for your weakness. And do not retaliate when an injustice befalls you, less you want to be ostracized. Smile through your emptiness. Ophelia dug her nails into her skin and grazed them across her arms till specks of blood appeared. And still she couldn't feel.

Hiei walked across the door, stopped upon seeing the girl staring into the vacant space and leaned his body against the frame with a smirk upon his usually stone face. "That was a rotten thing you did to Sem."

Ophelia moved only her eyes to his form. "Sem's a rotten woman."

* * *

Kira stood outside with the cool night air caressing her hair. This time, she clutched a goblet of good wine that James had poured the two of them after their visit with Sem. The old woman's mouth hanging by a few stubborn nerves, and her tongue completely mangled in her mouth. She groaned and sputtered thick blood everytime Kira attempted to approach her- leaving James the only one qualified to touch her and with Kira's supervision, they attempted to repair the damage.

Kira couldn't stand the sight of Sem; the image rattled her conscience. However, she blamed the woman for her own injury. Lamenting on how her vicious actions towards her sister caused this outcome, whether or not Ophelia acknowledged it or not. But Kira also understood the importance of keeping her and her sister safe- even if it meant working hours through blood and gore to put a terrible person back together.

She hoped her good deed would go unpunished.

Bare feet entering her room rocked her from her revere, and she turned in time to see Youko walk through her room and into the darkness of night to join her.

"Sem seems to have calmed down," he began, "She can't talk, but I don't hear anybody complaining."

Kira stifled a laugh, "That's not very nice of you, _Lord_ Youko."

He stood close enough to the wolf youkai, his skin tickled her arm and allowed a small smile to grace his usually stone face. "No need to feign concern with me, _Ms._Kira, I won't tell the commoners." His chuckle, if she could even call it that, sounded like tiny rocks in his throat.

"Any leads on what caused razor blades to materialize in her mouth?" Kira wrapped each word in crushing sarcasm.

"You tell me?" Youko retorted. He felt her energy rise, her smile deflating. Shifting gears, he continues. "Hiei tells me Sem picks on your sister and she hasn't exactly kept her opinions of her distaste for Lia a secret. Perhaps this is...just another attempt to cause friction between your sister and the rest of the children? At least," he paused, resting his golden eyes on her, "That's what Hiei thinks."

"What do you think?" She responded without moving.

"I trust Hiei."

Kira tried to hide the wave of relief that cascaded over her. She felt like she was drowning in anticipation of his retaliation. And she made a mental note to thank Hiei somehow. For everything. For being the only one to ever defend her sister, to take her under his capable wing and help her- not even Kira could swallow that responsibility.

"He's quite fond of her," Kira said, allowing a genuine smile to light her face- and Youko's lips quivered to match her delight, but he resisted.

"I suppose," he responded.

"A little crush maybe?" She winked at him.

Youko had graced Kira with his existence to extract information on the nature of the tiny being currently sitting in silence in her dark room. But illuminated by the yellow moon overhead, he found himself entranced by the softness in Kira's face, the way her eyes twinkled when she teased him. He mulled over how she could both keep her guard up like a stone wall but welcoming with such openness it was like whiplash every time they met. And he struggled with granting himself the privilege in basking in her warmth. His coldness, his protection, for him and his village the only thing keeping them safe.

"Perhaps," he finally loosened his lips into a smile, "Or potential victim. Can't always tell with him."

A real laugh escaped her lips and he felt his stomach twist in a fashion he never experienced in the three hundred years of walking the forests of Demon World. Her voice echoed through the quiet night, carried away by the same wind that tugged at his skin. He felt completely taken over; almost suffocated. And when she looked directly into his eyes, an action never taken by another demon- except James, and that was always with an air of contempt- he felt every carefully sewed part of his demeanor unravel. He knew Kira could sense the way his breathing relaxed while his heart sped up as if trying to escape. But he didn't.

There was a question still begging against his lips. Right on the tip of his tongue like a hammer threatening to crack the glass of their budding alliance- or something more. He never felt the pressure of choosing between his own self-preservation and falling for a woman- a wolf no less. But on those nights where he walked around the house, and captured her eyes as she stood on the balcony, shining like two small stars, he knew her presence would be missed and vowed to never be the cause of her disappearance.

So the question of why her pack now rested in the dirt, their charred bodies now becoming one with the earth, failed to be granted a voice. He relented that for once, he would choose his own happiness in the company of another over bleak loneliness he was accustomed to; and felt it was well deserved. Especially that night, when he forwent accusations and instead grabbed her small hand, tangled their fingers together- and when she didn't pull away in disgust, he instead asked the question if she would join him for another glass of wine in the basement. Where they instead spent the night exchanging parts of themselves they never knew existed.

And when the years passed, and Youko was no longer the silver fox-

and he spent his nights under that same crushing loneliness he lived for centuries before-

he wondered if that had been his biggest miscalculation.


	10. XIX

**Chapter Ten: XIX**

The dirt that stained Kira's silver dress served as a testament to her dedication to the survival of the village. Her calloused fingers often bleeding and broken by the end of the day, though she never complained. Under the moonlight, Youko would bandage her hands with a special combination of his own plants and demon energy, as gentle as if handling a fragile piece of treasure he's looted. But Youko was aware that Kira was anything but fragile. And she was not an item he owned- she was his partner. His equal. They spent hours discussing plans for the future of the village. Her input he took at the highest regard, more so than some of his other advisors.

She challenged him. Called him out when he was being selfish and cruel. The only being granted that privilege.

And by the time the third winter passed, the village settled into a comfortable routine that had them prosperous even with the frigid cold that rushed through the territory like an unforgiving beast. Kira offered them a different kind of protection than her partner. While he guarded the borders from the outside threats, Kira gave them security of living without the fear of internal conflict. With enough food to keep everyone well fed, the in-fighting decreased. Everyone trusted and relied on their neighbor. No risk of disease decimating their numbers when Kira could cure almost anything that could affect a demon.

But sometimes complacency is more dangerous than any human or disease.

Adorning furs from an unsuspecting animal for warmth, Kira walked the village with her basket; her morning beginning. The village slowly rose from their slumbers, with only a few of the other beings setting up their trades for the day. Kira's breath hung in the air but she felt a warmth rush through her body. Today was special. Youko and the rest of the men would be returning from a raid. Once the last snow of winter melted into the ground, Youko had rounded up the men and left the village to replenish what was used during their forced hibernation.

Kira joked that Youko needed a break from her. He didn't argue the point; still finding it difficult to unhinge his clenched jaw and tell her how she really made him feel.

In the garden, Kira knelt into the wet dirt. Harnessing Hiei's pyrokinetic abilities proved to be a game changer, but it was finite and she would need him to charge the plant again- soon. Thankfully, she mused, he'll be coming home with the rest sometime today if everything went according to plan. And with Kira helping plan the routes, they haven't had any mishaps.

She played in her dirt as the sun hung high. Some of the children joined her for lessons on manipulating their demon energy to grow plants. Interestingly, her sister had not joined her. This was not completely unusual, but usually Ophelia could be seen lurking in the shadows of the woods or drawing pictures in the house. Kira hadn't seen the morose girl at all. Just as she was about to leave the garden to hunt down her sister, the smell of roses reached her nose- followed immediately but the burning stench of flame.

_Not again_. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

And a moment later, the warmth of Hiei charging past the garden pricked her flesh. He flew like a small flying shadow, and the only other hint of his existence was the door to the main house slamming behind him. This has become a more frequent conclusion to these raids within the last year; and the tension that will follow could be cut with Hiei's own sword.

The rest of the team emerged from the woods; their skins red from the brisk cold air relentless attack. James, no longer forced to stay behind to mind the village, barked orders to the tired demons- where to place their provisions, as if this routine hadn't been memorized for years. Meats in the basement here Issara- an ice spirit- created a refrigerator system. Wool, cotton, and other fabrics immediately to Letti. Wine to a seperate cellar in the corner of the main house to be accessed by anyone needing a night of reprieve from responsibilities. Sometimes, Kira wondered if James enjoyed the sound of his own voice- or if he was merely an extension of Youko's. A job he took too seriously.

Youko trailed behind the men and made his way towards the garden, where Kira would be waiting. When they locked eyes, she already had her hands placed firmly on her hips. Her lips in a forced frown, though her brown eyes sparkled in contradiction.

"What did you do now?" She said sternly.

"Hiei," he began, snaking his arms around through the openings of her arms and around her waist, "needs to understand his place in the hierarchy."

"That doesn't answer my question." She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to fight against the instinct to bring them around his neck instead- pull him as close as physically possible. Till cold skin met cold skin.

"What are you doing out here? It's too cold," he scolded, a blatant effort to change the subject.

"I'm fine. This is not my first winter, less you forgot."

"Hrm." Youko drank her form with his golden eyes. Her brown eyes amused by his concern, lips curled into a small smile having given up their attempt at disappointment. The silver dress, made with the same fabric as his own outfit, hugged her slim body. And the black fur over her shoulders in an effort to grant warmth gave her this air of authority. She looked fierce even with her olive skin tinged with red from the wind. Drifting down her body he rested on her currently flat stomach with lingering interest.

Kira pulled away much to his disappointment. "I think I'm done for the day. Maybe a bath is in order? After I dropped this off to Carmella- the boys have a cold and this can make a nice vegetable soup for them."

She went to pick up the basket heavy with food, but Youko stopped her by grabbing the basket instead. Kira laughed gently, "What a gentleman!" Youko noted that she didn't argue with his sudden burst of chivalry- very much unlike his Wolf partner.

"You've done enough." He grabbed her hand, running his thumb across her bleeding knuckles, "I think you deserve a break."

Her sharp tongue silenced for once- she didn't feel the need to argue with his concern for much longer.

Ophelia sat in the center of the house, surrounded by paper and crayons that had become a staple in the village. Stolen years ago, then multiplied by some of the more crafty citizens, children were given these items for entertainment in an effort to distract them long enough that their parents wouldn't have to bother with them for a few minutes. Most of the children were only entertained by these for short bursts- Ophelia, however, could spend hours hunched over her creations.

In silence, Sem would watch her drawing mechanically. Rocking back and forth in her chair, knitting little sweaters for the girl. Her jaw no longer locked, but her tongue a distant memory. Severed as the ties to her cruelness. One becomes humble when faced with dark magic.

Ophelia stopped and picked up her picture, a crooked smile on her tiny face. She pranced to Sem who paused her rocking immediately.

"For you, Sem-san," Lia giggled unnaturally; her chapped lips stretched wide and repulsive.

Sem forced her mouth to smile, gently taking the picture. Surrounded by different colored flowers, Sem in the middle wearing an outfit from her younger years that the child should have no knowledge about. Her hands in prayer. The sun was bright with another strange smile. Everyone smiles, Sem thinks, everyone smiles and everything will be okay. She nodded enthusiastically to Lia. _Thank you, little one_. She thought.

"The flowers know everything," Lia pointed out, "especially the pink ones. The pink ones that turned red once. Do you remember?"

Sem nodded, squeezing the paper that she thought her nails would rip through it- _stop_. She scolded herself.

"I'm going to draw another one," Lia skipped back to her work, "I feel like mountains today."

She grabbed the blue crayon and got to work, scribbling loudly that it seemed to attack Sem's own ears. Scraping against the wood of the floors. Scratching like a rat trying to escape it's prison. Sem just rocked. Slowly, the picture in her lap. She noticed her caricature had tears on her cheeks. She rocked faster.

A burst of heat and coldness rushed through the room, followed by one of the doors sliding shut aggressively. Ophelia paused and slowly brought her head to look towards the front door reopening from not being closed properly. She turned to Sem. _Must be Hiei. Maybe you should check on him?" _ She thought and to her relief, Lia jumped up and ran to her friend's room. Sem let out a breath of relief as tears gathered in her ears.

Ophelia opened Hiei's door without knocking, finding the older boy sitting on his bed staring a hole in the wall. His red eyes glowed with fury, narrowed and tense. She could see him trying to control his breathing to a more natural pace. His demon energy fluctuating- as if conflicted with his instinct to attack versing the logic of such a foolish action.

"What happened?" Ophelia asked meekly.

"What always happens." Hiei snapped.

She cautiously entered the room, taking a seat next to him. "Kira says that Youko says mean things because he isn't used to caring for others. He means well."

"If you really believe that, you're a bigger fool than your sister."

Ophelia thought for a moment- Youko never really said anything to her so she couldn't properly judge. Under his unyielding gaze, she did feel small. A sense of dread always coiled around her chest when in his presence, which she tried to make as infrequent as possible. Opting instead to spend her time in the company of Hiei and James. It used to be Kira, but now that Kira spent all her free time with the fox, she hardly went near her sister. A development she sensed Youko was pleased with. But she could hear the volatile words lunged in Hiei's direction when the two fought. Youko's reminders of Hiei's young age and small stature made him vulnerable. That it was best he remembered he could never best the fox. Stay in his lane and keep his mouth shut.

And with every word, the fire that burned within Hiei grew. And she could feel him about to burst.

"I got you a gift," he mumbled suddenly, and the shift in tone was jarring even to Lia.

"Another tooth?" she joked, touching the necklace around her neck she wore religiously for the last three years.

"No." he shuffled through a bag he brought with him on raids- to place his personal loot. After a few seconds of suspense, he pulled out a leather bound book and handed it to Ophelia.

Her eyes widened. How she begged for Youko and James to bring her more paper or books, an obsession that began two years ago when she stumbled upon some medical books in Kira's room. She didn't care for the medical language and characters, but felt there were more pages to be read in the world. The men ignored her request, but Hiei promised if he stumbled upon one in the wild he would bring it back if he had the room. Also reminding her that it wasn't a priority and not to get her hopes up- even though he wouldn't admit he looked every time he left.

"I found it on a table in one of the human guards rooms. He was sleeping so I didn't have to slit his throat."

She touched the cover of the book. Smooth leather caressed her finger tips, cold from being outside. The golden trimmed letters indented the book: _Shakespeare's Tragedy. Hamlet." _And in the center, the image of a dagger.

"It's beautiful," she said, stunned by the craftsmanship, and slowly opened the pages which crackled as she turned them.

"I recognized your name when I looked through it." He laid on the bed, now staring at the boards that made up the ceiling, and listened to the sweet sound of paper moving through the air. "Maybe this is where your mother found it."

Ophelia paused at one of the pages, squinting her eyes at the text: "Larded with sweet flowers, which bewept to the grave did go, with true-love showers." She recited, her small voice wrapping around the alien letters as if she memorized them in another life. Cool and calculated, it even surprised Hiei.

"You can read that?" He sat up quickly.

"Yes, can't you?" She tilted her head as she looked at him and he felt judged under her gaze.

"I can _read_," he retaliated, "but I've never seen those character's before. The dog told me it was called old English."

"Oh," she shifted, closing the book gently as not to disrupt the fragile paper. "Well, I guess… I can…"

He wanted to interrogate her further- ask her how she suddenly could read _anything_ when she never demonstrated such a skill before. But she didn't grant him the pleasure of wearing her down this time. She rose from her seat on the bed, the book tightly against her chest. She thanked her profusely for his gift and exited the room as quickly as she came.

Hiei arched an eyebrow, but relented that one day she'll reveal her secrets to him- even if today was not that day.

The following afternoon-

And the air hung with an unnatural warmth for the time of year. A cool wind still danced through the village as a reminder of winter passed, but the heat challenged its stay. Dark clouds rumbled in the distance, with crackles of lighting flashing within, but the sounds of thunder were too far from the village to cause concern. The village bustled with activity- nearly every member walking through the open area, discussing ideas for a feast later on in the night if the storm held out. The sounds of children laughing near the lake echoed throughout, water splashing as they tried to relieve themselves from the sudden humidity. The weather was always erratic in this part of the demon world once kissed with the prospect of spring. Kira spent extra time in the garden, taking advantage of the first nice day of the year. Ophelia hid in the woods, with her book, reading the words that echoed in her brain with proper articulation yet couldn't decipher their true meaning. Empty words, she thought, waiting for the emotion of experience to breathe new life into them.

Peace settled comfortably.

Until it didn't.

The sound of raised voices from within the home drowned out the laughter. A crash from projected objects caught the attention of several demons, who turned in time to see Hiei exit the house, his sword on his back that was now the same size as him, walking with a sense of purpose towards the Northern part of the woods. Villagers then held their collective breaths when on his heels, Youko spat venom towards his ally.

"I will no longer tolerate your insubordinate behavior," Youko shouted at him with a sense of calm rage. "Get back in the house and clean up the mess you've made!"

"And I will no longer tolerate being treated like a child!" Hiei snapped back without pausing in his stride.

"You _are _a child!"

Youko caught up to the fire demon, but when he placed a gruff hand on his shoulder Hiei turned with a flash- drawing his sword and pointing the end at the throat of the silver fox.

"You draw your sword at me, Hiei?" Youko paused. His golden eyes bearing down on Hiei, who didn't flinch at the death stare. "I've killed people for less."

Hiei would later admit to one person, that he thought for a moment his life would end at ten. But gritted his teeth- his pride on the line. "I didn't decapitate my former captors to take orders from you. This is the end of our truce. I'm leaving."

Youko believed with every fiber of his being that the safety of this village, which grew in the years since the two displaced demons entered, relied solely on the fact that no one but the capable men could leave. No one seemed to know, or bother, with the small populace of demons in the center of the neutral territory. And that couldn't change. Humans, or volatile demons, could stumble on this place, see it lush with prosperity, and seek to destroy everything he worked for. Everything he has sacrificed up to this moment would be for nothing.

Other people's betrayal always lived in the back of his mind. How much torture could someone take before they vomit the location of his village? How many enemies has he made in three hundred years who would relish in the moment they burned everything Youko cared for to the ground?

And maybe this mistrust became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"You walk beyond those plants, Hiei," Youko seethed; his voice like the distant thunder clap gaining power, "and the next time we meet, I'll relieve you of the burden of your vocal cords."

"Hn," Hiei retracted his sword- and for a moment Youko wanted to breathe an uncharacteristic sigh of relief. However. "I'd like to see you try, old man."

And Hiei vanished into the woods.

Ophelia suddenly felt her chest weighed down by a brick. She placed her book on the ground and touched her heart- something was wrong. In that moment she recognized a black mass flying past her eyes. A voice in her head told her to follow him, and she jumped to her feet and tried to catch up with the shadow. Luck in her favor, Hiei decided to second guess himself- one of the few times he ever felt unsure of his next steps- and stood in front of the barrier of plants that swayed back and forth in the wind, as blissfully unaware of the shift in dynamics.

The thought of turning back flashed across his face. Doubt. But he shook it from his head as quickly as it came- he threatened Youko. That would not go unpunished. And creeping hesitation crawled up his stomach. Could he kill Youko? _Would Youko even give him a chance?_

"Where are you going?" The small, familiar voice, murmured with such caution, that Hiei swore for a moment he would change his mind. But he forced his red eyes to focus on the dimly like path of freedom before him.

"I'm leaving." His voice prickled with ice, "I will no longer take orders from a drunk fox high on his own ego. I have better things to do."

Ophelia knitted her eyebrows together, the weight in her chest felt too heavy to carry as she tried to rationalize the words that dripped from her only friend's mouth. She tried to call upon the voice inside her head to feed her reassurances, but it was oddly silent. "But," she said finally, swallowing the lump that grew in her throat, "What about me?"

Hiei let out a strangled sigh which died before it reached her ears. He turned to her. She stood before him almost as small as the day they met, chewing on her bottom lip while she picked nervously at her fingernails. Upon her body, a black dress she insisted be made, and he knew she chose it to demonstrate her loyalty to the fire spirit. She wore this visage of innocence and admiration like a weapon she utilized when she needed someone to comply with her pleads. He could admire her manipulation- but he knew her too well now to be seized by that costume.

He granted the question a second heartbeat to roll through his head: _what about me?_ Like a pathetic plea.

Hiei turned away. The weight in her chest felt like a balloon ready to explode as his coldness washed over her like a wave crashing upon a beach- it slammed and stole a bit of her every time.

"What about you?"

It cut her like a knife and like a vacuum all air expelled from her body. And as stunned as Ophelia was by how effortlessly he vanished from her sight, she- as if compelled by another mind- sprung after him, chasing him into the deep black forest that swallowed her whole.

It was at that moment, Kira shot up from her garden and stared into the forest. A coldness rushed through her like a sword. Too engrossed with her gardening, she missed the confrontation; but the whispers had drifted towards her place in the village. And when she saw Skull, brandishing his own weapon, heading into the woods she realized that the silent contempt between the fox and the fire demon had finally overflowed.

And all she could think: where did Ophelia go?

Ophelia charged into the woods and immediately lost her bearings, having never left the sanctuary since they buried her former pack. She didn't even have a sense of which direction her friend disappeared to. She realized a deep emptiness had filled her. No longer could she sense the flame that radiated off his ki. Gone without a trace. As if he never existed.

By the time she stopped and realized her mistake- that running into a forest with no tracking abilities and no way to get back- movement from beyond the trees captured her attention. The smell of sweat and blood reached her nose. She swung around. The first human lurking just beyond a cluster of red trees emerged. His clothes while covered in dried blood, showed no additional signs of a fight- the blood wasn't his.

"Well, hello there." He smiled, revealing two rows of putrid yellow teeth. His nose, large and pointed, giving him the look of a rat. Slowly, he approached.

Ophelia backed up several paces, but paused when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Oh? And who's our new friend?" Another man appeared behind her, with a third coming from her right. Surrounded. The three men, all the same built, all with dried blood on their pressed uniforms. Blue uniforms. Uniforms she remembered from a distant nightmare. All three with slicked hair, but putrid teeth. Two with missing teeth that they flashed with their cheshire smiles as they circled her.

"Where did you come from, little girl?" They seemingly chanted. Her head swirled; the trees, and their dead branches, blurred around her. Suddenly, the humidity felt suffocating. And the storm that crashed in the distance felt right over her.

She pinched her lips shut and tried to steady her head.

Other voices. Not belonging to the men filled her brain. In a language she didn't understand. Bile rose from her stomach.

"What's her problem?"

"Why is she just staring at us like that?"

"Stop standing there like a buncha morons, and grab her already!"

Cold boney arms around her arm. Ophelia's eyes flew open-_when did they close-_ and she shrieked an ear piercing cry that enveloped the entire forest. Then her nails, sharpened like claws, connected with pale skin and she scratched the offending limb with all her strength.

"Fuck!" The man fell back, grabbing his arm as it spurts blood on his clothes- his blood. "Stupid bitch!"

Ophelia's eyes glowed, breathing heavily, as they locked on to the man writhing in pain on the floor. He pulled his hand back, three parallel scratches down to his bone, as the skin around him started to change...pale giving way to sickly purple. His veins showing through his skin, blue road maps of his circulatory system. Pus immediately pulsed through the wounds. Anger gave way to fear, as the nerves in his arm began to die.

"What the-" One of his comrades started, but was cut off by the third.

"Fuck this pain in the ass. Not worth it." He charged his ki. Blue light surrounded the palm of his hand, crackling like its own lightning, and pulsed through the atmosphere.

Ophelia remembered the sound his attack made as it ripped through the air. Like a crack of thunder. It haunted her dreams for decades after. She remembered how bright the light looked; like a shooting star that tore through the night sky. She even remembered closing her eyes to prepare for the pain of skin tearing across her flesh as it disintegrates under the force of the energy attack.

Sometimes when she wakes up in the middle of the night, covered by sweat, she feels that pain. But that day...she felt nothing.

Instead, Ophelia heard an energy blast tear through skin and bone. And the sound of blood gathering in a throat as it sputters out of a mouth. And even though a distant voice in the back of her head begged her to keep her eyes closed as it once did three eyes ago, Ophelia found herself opening those bright, icy blue eyes.

The blood on Kira's silver dress was a testament to the sacrifices she would make to protect the people she loved. And even as blood poured from her mouth and mixed with the blood which pooled on her chest, all she thought about until her mind went black was her sister. And Ophelia watched in horror as her sister who stood like a picturesque statue above her fell to her knees onto the dirt. Her raven hair moving like waves in the lake. Her skin turned cold before the rest of her body collapsed to the ground.

Brown eyes frozen open, resting on Ophelia's trembling form.

"K-Kira." Ophelia couldn't tell anyone if she said that name out loud. And even as she looked at her sister's body, she didn't believe that would be the last time she called for her.

"Dammit!" The man cursed, "A wolf demon!? I thought they were extinct in these parts."

"Who cares?" The other man scolded.

"Bitches are big money these days. Especially wolf bitches."

A strangled cough from the man next to Ophelia. "Guys, I don't feel so good." He clutched his arm. "Sometimes not right."

"Stop being a pussy and grab the girl. She's probably worth-"

Silence. Ophelia felt muffled, as if she was drowning underwater- her eyes never leaving her sister- but she heard their screams like an echo from miles away.

The man who charged his ki, who had been mid-order, had a plant-fashioned sword through his mouth. His buddy shouted, but stumbled and was immediately ensnared by a carnivorous plant, which constricted and coiled around his body, shattering his bones into dust before using it's jagged teeth to rip apart his face, as he screamed for the god he worshiped to show him mercy.

But God abandoned them.

And in his place, the silver fox coated in the blood of the slain. He retracted the sword from the monster's mouth. The third man, scrambled to his feet and retreated into the forest- and Youko might have sent another plant to extinguish his life...but

A humid wind with the smell of rain rushed through the pair as they stood on either side of Kira's resting body. Youko's eyes crushed. Hot tears threatened to fall without his knowledge, until his face contorted into a vision of rage that Ophelia had never in her nine years seen in a man.

"What have you done?" His voice drenched in venom.

She didn't respond. Instead she crawled to her sister's body, her mind like a whirlpool again, as she tried to rationalize why she could no longer feel her sister's soul within her body. Why those bright brown eyes that looked like two perfect marbles were completely dark? Why didn't they blink? She reached to touch Kira, but in a snap, Youko was in her face, his teeth bare and eyes filled with bloodlust. She fell back and crawled away, fear seizing her throat.

"Don't touch her!" He growled. Youko pulled his narrowed gold eyes away from the child, and dared to look at Kira. Gently, he gathered her broken body into his arms; frozen to the touch. He felt her life leave her before she fell to the ground. He felt the blast rip through the body and fry her nerves, until it exploded in her heart.

No amount of healing powers could bring her back.

He pulled her close to his chest, fighting against his desire to tear about the thing in front of him. "You stupid, child." He whispered, "I told you both never to leave the perimeter did I not? Look what you did. Look what you did to your sister." Hot tears filled with hatred fell upon Kira's skin.

"I'm-I'm sorry," Ophelia stuttered. Fear wrapped around her as thick as the humidity.

A terrifying laugh escaped his lips. "Oh? You're sorry?" He brought his eyes to meet hers- and any kind of loyalty he had for the girl had died with her sister. "I'll make sure you're sorry."

Like a lightning bolt crashing onto earth, he lunged for the girl who sat there with a bleak sense of acceptance of her fate, and this time left her eyes open to see the vines wrap around his arm to take the form of a sword- and she would have welcomed the release of the burden of guilt, had another form slammed onto the ground in front of her. A strong hand gripped Youko's arm and pinned it to the ground. And Youko was staring into the wild green eyes of his most loyal ally.

"What are you doing!" James seethed, a low growl rumbling in his throat as a warning to the fox.

"Et tu, Jameson?" Youko sneered.

"She's a child!"

"Her stupidity caused the death of my…" he bit his tongue and clenched his fist in the dirt. James bore his teeth, snarling through them- and Youko tried to remember a time his friend ever turned on him. And how easy it was for him now.

"Youko," James tried to ease the tension in his voice, "What would Kira want you to do?"

The fox shook his head and a bitter laugh rattled through his throat. "The hell you know about what she would have wanted?" He pulled back; the vines on his arm retreating. They stared at each other for several quiet moments. James never relented, prepared for Youko to attack his throat to get to the girl, who cowered behind him gripping his silver attire for protection. He sensed the terrible, desperate, rage that soured Youko's heart. Youko glared at the dog, "I respect you, James, you've been loyal to me. So, I will allow the benefit of a choice. You may return to the village- without the child. Or," he threw one more look at the girl behind James. "If you attempt to return with her, I'll kill you both myself."

Youko rose from the ground, tearing himself away from the pair, despite the urge to destroy them pulsing through his veins. He stood over Kira's body for nineteen strained heartbeats and cursed himself for all the words he never said. And mourned all the times he felt his heart flutter when she would run a finger along his jawline; that he would never touch her skin again. He would never smell the natural floral perfume that emitted from her body from hours surrounded by bright flowers. He waited for her to lash at him with that tongue of hers; lecture him for his mistakes, with a coy smile on her lips. But she was robbed of her voice.

The silent wind suddenly cooled. And the storm in the distance rumbled further away than it had before. And Youko felt himself begin to crumble under the weight of his own guilt as he thought about how it only took a few words said in anger, to a boy who hadn't deserved his rage, to change everything. He picked up her body- noting how light she felt without her soul- and returned to the village.

James exhaled loudly, his lungs strained as if he was holding his breath, and stood up. Whimpers from behind, he turned to Ophelia who curled into a ball on the ground as her body shook with tears. He hushed her gently as he picked up her tiny form. Ophelia sobbed into her friend's shoulder, feeling the first sensation of safety rushed through her. He whispered into her ear lies he also told himself- _everything is okay_.

The sun slowly moved towards the west- darkness would soon take over the forest and the beasts the lurked in the shadows would appear. And as he stared into the direction of the village, for the first time in a long time, James felt unsure of what to do next.


	11. The Burden

Chapter 11: The Burden

James locked eyes with the powerful plants before him; cautiously optimistic when they didn't immediately attack the approaching pair. He set Ophelia on the ground, despite her wordless whines, far away from the dangerous foliage. His logic that she could run should they turn on James.

Though how long she would be safe- he crushed the thought.

He advanced towards them, slow and steady. They danced calmly as the wind pushed along their stems.

"James," Ophelia's voice barely above a whisper. He turned. She sat on a perfectly placed rock, her blue eyes wilted and wet from tears. She pointed at something advancing in the distance. James snapped his head in the direction she was pointing at and braced himself for a battle. Steading his breath, though the sweat beading along his forehead gave his fear away.

In the distance, Sazu made his way towards the two. His hands up in automatic surrender. He stopped at the threshold.

"Steady, buddy," he said softly, "I ain't here to hurt ya."

"Oh really?" James sneered, "Do you expect me to believe Youko didn't send you to do his dirty work?"

Sazu sighed, dropping his head and nodding towards Ophelia. "I don't kill kids."

But James didn't remove his narrowed green eyes at the phoenix demon. Sazu's scent revealed part of his intentions- he wasn't sweating from the adrenaline from pre-kill. It was the pungent stench of fear…

Of the unknown?

It hadn't been long since Youko made his threats and left James to weigh his options. And Youko's mind hasn't been steady for some time. What more damage could he have caused?

"Then why are you here?" James questioned.

"Come on, James," Sazu sounded defeated- worn out. "Youko doesn't mean what he says."

"He sent Skull to go after Hiei, did he not? To kill him?"

"Yeah but…"

"And you to kill me? His actions have spoken. The message clear."

Sazu paused and weighed the dog demon's words. "If you really believe that, then why have you returned?"

James clenched his jaw and thought for a moment. Hope?

But he knew the hold Youko had over them. The command in his voice. The beauty in his violence. He could convince the most honorable being to murder children- if he ever wanted to. And now with his heart hallowed by grief, could he have fallen so far?

"I talked with the rest of the team, James. You're all we have left."

James softens his gaze, but bites his tongue until Sazu can finish.

"We all lost Kira, and Youko…." Sazu fought for the words that struggled against his throat, "you don't come back from losing your mate quickly...or at all. We need a leader. There's families here, man." He paused, straightening his posture to look at the dog demon with conviction, "We have your back. I promise."

During their raids, Sazu never gave James a reason to doubt his loyalty. He proved himself one of the more level headed of the thieves in the clan; a second-guesser, perhaps from being one of the last of his kind, survival was his top priority. So the fact that Youko would send him, of all his associates, was an interesting move. One that called into question how dedicated the fox was to his rage.

"You know him better than any of us," Sazu continued, "You know if he means his words or not."

James didn't have a chance to respond.

A strangled, guttural, moan echoed from the woods. He swung around, Ophelia already on her feet and running towards him, as the being stumbled into view.

The third human, who abandoned his associates to the fox's anger, staggered towards the trio, the wound on his arm leaking black blood; covering spongy gray skin. He keeled over and projectile vomited a thick tar-like substance onto the ground. He coughed and hacked thick pieces of...himself...onto the rock that previously housed Ophelia- the girl now tightly clinging to James' pants.

"Holy fuck, what's up with his eyes!" Sazu exclaimed as fear emitted from his voice.

The eyes, bone white and hallowed around, like the skin had caved into his skull. The human stood up straight in slow motion, as if his bones were attempting to shift into place. He opened his mouth stained with black liquid.

"I feel better now," he spoke like an echo, "I see...everything. The end. How beautiful?" He took an uneasy step, the sound of breaking bones splintered through the air. "They're coming. The awakening has begun…

"And soon we will all be free."

"He's nuts," Sazu whispered.

"Shut up!"

The smile dropped. Even with his blank stare, James felt a vicious, bloodthirsty gaze upon them. Then, with a voice that sounded crushed from dirt and death, the being seethed: "Tha an deireadh air toisea chadh. Ah seasgad seula. Thig comhla rinn!"

Dead silence.

James realized the birds stopped wailing. The threes moved in the sudden violent wind, but offered no sound. A piercing hum from the far reaches of Demon World rushed through the forest and shattered the scene like glass. And the human...or thing...cracked its neck and rushed James.

He barely had time to react, using his brief moments to push Ophelia away before the thing was in his face, chomping its teeth with animalistic veracity. James managed to block its attacks with his arms, hearing the bones of his enemy break like nothing; and even with its arm bone sticking out of the gray flesh, he continued its assault as if unaware.

Then, its head flies black. Black blood erupting from the back of its skull. And it crumbles to the floor.

James blinked several times, frozen. His brain trying to rationalize the event that just unfolded. He turned and saw Sazu lowering his arm- the hot energy from his hand cooling. His breathing matched James and both had the same panicked eyes. Fear clutching their chests like a constrictor. And logic would dictate they shouldn't fear a human on the verge of death.

But instinct told them otherwise.

They took a few more seconds to gather their bearings. Ophelia's strangled sobs snapped James back to reality. He picked her up from the ground and held her against his chest. He looked at Sazu one last time, the other demon still focused on the monster he just put down.

"Promise me, Sazu," James said his breath trying to catch up, "Nothing will happen when we walk through that village." The dog demon had no other choice now. He once heard fairy tales of humans being turned into bloodthirsty monsters; their desire for tearing apart a living being the only motive for their actions. And while he knew, and Sazu knew, that _couldn't be possible_, no other explanation existed. And he wasn't about to stay and find out.

Sazu nodded, "Yeah, I promise, man."

James took off for the village, stopping instantly in front of the giant carnivorous plant, the security system, programmed to attack at the slightest disturbance from an unknown energy.

"What?" Sazu questioned, pausing next to the green-eyed demon.

"T-the plants," James stammered over his words, "Why didn't they attack that thing?"

* * *

The potent sadness, which overcame the village, was the first thing James noticed. The families huddled together in front of the main house- where he could smell the fox and the putrid stench of death- their soft cries gripped him. He walked through them, carrying the child in his arms, and they moved slowly as if in a trance to clear a path towards the two front doors. He heard some questions float above the crowd: "What happened?" "Should we ask him?" "Are we safe anymore?" "What are we going to do?" He recognized that once he walked through those doors, those questions would become his burden.

But first…

Inside the house, Sem stood by the door with her eyes glued to the floor and swelled with uncharacteristic tears. Hilde crumbled to the floor, Meeka attempting to comfort her with a cold touch and face contorted in disgust for the other demon's display of uncontrollable sobs. Neither woman acknowledged James and Ophelia's return, Sem only bringing her eyes up for a second to stare at the young girl who offered nothing in return. Akul and Amar approached from the room furthest in the back of the house- the room the fox and wolf demon shared. Their faces were flushed with both fear and anguish.

"James," Amar started, "Youko…"

"Did he tell you to kill me?"

Hilde cried louder, earning a stern _shut it_ from Meeka. Amar merely shook his head, "Go talk to him. He needs sympathy right now-"

"Where's Skull?" James snapped his eyes to Akul, the more timid of the two brothers. He shuffled his feet and looked down.

"We...haven't been able to locate him after he went after Hiei."

"Find him, tell him his mission is over and to return immediately," James stern voice seemed unfamiliar to him, like it existed for another demon, "No one is too leave the perimeter of the village. Humans are in the area."

The brothers exchanged unsure looks, their yellow lizard eyes fluctuating as if communicating in their own telepathic language. The action caused another unknown rage to erupt from James: "Did I stutter? Go now!"

The two men stood at attention, eyes frightened, "S-Sir!" And left the house.

James gritted his teeth- he never asked for this responsibility and immediately cursed his own uncertainty. Youko didn't either. He felt Ophelia squeeze him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder as she let out another sniffle.

"Sazu," he called the phoenix demon, his voice noticeably softer.

"Sir?"

"You're the only one I trust right now…" James knelt down, gently removing Ophelia's arms from him, "Can you watch her while I talked to Youko?"

"No," Ophelia cried out, "Don't leave me please."

"Shh," he hushed her, gently patting her head, "Sazu is a good man. He'll protect you, I promise."

"I want to stay with you!" She latched onto him with a strength he didn't expect from such a tiny being. "Don't leave me alone!"

"I'm not, I'm not going anywhere," he assured her, "I just have to talk to Youko, only for a few minutes. I'll be right back."

"Hey, kiddo," Sazu bent down to Ophelia's level so he could look directly into her milk-blue eyes, "Sem-san tells me you like to draw?" Ophelia nodded cautiously. "Yeah? Can you teach me?"

Ophelia looked at James once more, the dog demon mouthing more words of comfort, before taking Sazu's warm hand and allowing him to lead her away. She never stopped watching him, and James allowed his green eyes to linger on her small form- like a father watching a stranger take his daughter- as if this was the last time their eyes would meet.

Even with the overwhelming sadness that embraced the entire village like a straight-jacket, the possibility that Youko coordinated this elaborate trap lingered in the back of his mind. As James approached the sliding door, with death emitting from the cracks in the wood, he wondered if he should be more prepared to join his ally in the afterlife. He didn't know if any decision he has made up to this point was right. But he knew, if Youko attacked once the dog walked through those doors, he wasn't going out without a fight.

Slowly, he slid open the door- one more breath- before entering.

James always felt there was a calming silence when death made his appearance. Soothing even while those left alive struggled with the pain. Youko sat next to Kira, a white sheet covering her form, with his hands folded against his lips. He didn't stir when the dog demon walked into his room, hardly even noticing the other body occupying his space. Pensive golden eyes, wet and soft, remained unwavering.

James recalled being one of the first to discover the budding relationship between Kira and Youko- and he would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous at the sudden attention the wolf-demon received from the fox. However, when the question of his feelings were brought up, on more than one occasion, James would bite his tongue till it bled before admitting _why_ he secretly despised the woman. And even though he never regretted the moment he picked up her unconscious body and brought her into their life, he sometimes wished he hadn't done so much to save her- and he knew how selfish it made him. Often at war with himself for how his coldness towards her in the three years made him feel horrible. How could she know how he felt for the fox? When he never let on, even for a moment, the way his heart would crack when he saw the two of them, under the full moon sharing their intimate moments.

Why didn't he resent Youko? Who exploited those feelings to keep him in check. He recalled the day Youko returned to the village after they found the girls. He remembered how he felt when Youko smirked in his face and insulted him with empty threats, before he locked his attention on Kira. He remembered the way his stomach dropped when he saw them together on the balcony. And then later when he approached Youko, buttered up on the alcohol the fox shoved in his hands, and asked him one last time if he could ever feel the same. Hoping Youko would set him free...or better yet…

But the silver fox, smirked, brushed a long finger down the side of James' face and promised the dog would always hold a place in his heart. Like acid it burned. The dynamic changed immediately. Suddenly, Kira was second in command, and James was left to fall in rank with the rest of the common thieves.

James took a few moments to recite a prayer in his head, one he long forgot, for forgiveness. From Kira, from himself.

"Getting religious on me now?" Youko finally said, as if hearing the dog demon's thoughts.

"Sometimes it brings me comfort in times of great unrest," James replied coolly.

The tension between the two was thick. Like two opposing magnets being forced together, James could feel himself being pushed away from Youko.

"Did you bring that girl back?" The fox demon's voice was dangerously low.

"You know I did."

James clenched his fist and gritted his teeth- briefly calling into question walking back into that village. The thought had crossed his mind several times before- he always chose to stay. Now he had a guiltless out and yet, found himself once again standing before the fox demon, begging for acceptance.

Youko let out a dejected sigh that caught James off guard, "Have I ever told you about my previous clan?"

James' dog ears flinched. "No. You've been tight lipped about that; like most things from your past."

The fox nodded. "I had this subordinate who was...impulsive, to say the least. Often got the clan into dangerous situations that could have easily been avoided. While he was fiercely loyal to me, I could not deny that he was more of a liability than an asset…" Youko reflected for a moment; he could sense James' heat rise as if anticipating the fox's next vacant words. "So I removed him from the situation."

"What are you saying,Youko?" James said quickly, scanning his leader's face for meaning. The normally stone, pale face, suddenly seemed cracked and worn. Like a brilliantly crafted vase succumbing to years of wear and tear.

"I hear the whispers through the halls; and maybe they are right," Youko flashed his gold eyes at James; riddled with years of torment and sadness that for centuries he kept under lock. "Maybe it's time for a change in the chain of command. For now."

The dog demon knitted his eyebrows together, his tail falling limp as his ears wilted. "Who do you suppose-"

"Don't be modest," Youko's sharp tone clashed with the gloom that stitched along his face. He rose from his seat, bringing his eyes back to his lover. "We'll bury her several meters from the garden so her body could nourish the earth. Gather everyone so they may send their farewells to the afterlife."

James nodded, "Yes sir." He turned to leave, but Youko called one last time-

"And James...this is my final order. Do you understand?"

He grimaced but murmured a soft yes, even though deep down he didn't desire the responsibility. Youko had at least 200 years on him walking the Earth. His experience was a key element to the survival of their clan and the preservation of the comfortability of the village. James felt like a puppy walking out of the room to the pleading eyes of the remaining villagers. He relayed their leader's commands with empty delivery, in a voice he barely recognized. The cautious exchange of looks from the people now thrusted under his care made him feel weak. They dispersed to plan the funeral, while murmurs of doubt reached his heightened ears.

James would later recall this moment where he felt that it was only a matter of time before everything fell apart. A guilt that he would carry on his conscience with the rest of his mistakes.

Before he could decide to turn heel, grab the child, and run from his responsibility, Akul and Amar appeared before him. Bowing with a resounding sir, they looked more frazzled and unsure than when he sent them away.

"Sir, we found Skull," Akul started.

"Well, what was left of him…" Amar mumbled.

James narrowed his eyes at the two. Akul elbowed his brother and continued. "His body was completely gone. We found ash in the area that tasted like flesh. It seems Hiei may have burnt him alive."

"So then how do you know it was Skull?"

The brothers looked at each other and sighed. Amar spoke up, "Well, we found his head on a spike not too far from the village…"

"Right," James groaned, "Good stuff. Any trace of Hiei?"

"To be honest," Akul said nervously, "We didn't really go looking for him…"

"Probably for the best," James nodded, "Okay. Let's keep this between us, right? There's been enough talk of death today."

* * *

Earlier, the entire village was alive with talk of the future. Now, only the sounds of soft sobs and crackling fire from funeral torches seem to exist. All talk of a feast to celebrate their accomplishments gave way to the silent preparation of Kira's final send off. The entire clan marched towards the garden- _her garden_\- where just beyond where the bright purple flowers grew, they would lay her to rest. The grave was dug by the men, as the resident carpenter put together a memorial in the form of a cross with her name burnt into the wood. While they did not particularly pray to any deity, they hoped it would serve as a symbol for a painless pass to the afterlife. A place where they could pay their respects. And Youko didn't seem bothered enough to argue.

Her body laid in the ground. The beings she protected surrounded her grave, all with their tongues suddenly robbed of the ability to speak. What was there to say? Everyone had cautiously looked at Youko, whose eyes were hidden behind silver bangs.

But he wasn't looking at them, or at Kira.

This would be a moment he would lament for decades to come; even if he learned to accept his decision.

He looked across the grave, on the opposite side, where Kira's sister clutched the hand of his most trusted ally; half of her face covered by James' strong arm, but he could see her eyes.

And she was a vortex. A black hole.

He watched her as they buried her sister, covering her once strong body with dirt.

There was nothing. No expression. Imagine, a child's face with all evidence of life sucked from it.

And she was staring right back. With those vacant blue eyes that fogged with white.

And for the first time, Youko couldn't tell if he was hunter or prey when faced with Ophelia.

And it wouldn't be the last time.


	12. It's Been Awhile

Chapter 12: It's Been A While

_The end has begun. _

_The 66th Seal..._

_Join Us. _

* * *

Human World: Present Day

The ceiling above her was not the same as the one Ophelia was staring at when blackness overtook her.

This ceiling was too perfect popcorn white, not the crackling yellow asbestos with hints of toxic mold where the tile met the wall. Infact, this ceiling connected to bright blue, four walls, where shadows formed against glass pictures of plants thanks to the light emitting from the balcony which overlooked the Tokyo skyline.

But not the ceiling, nor the walls, nor the shadows which twisted into terrible figures, had Ophelia concerned as her eyes adjusted to the twilight darkness.

It was the smell.

The stench of roses waifed into her nose and she was suddenly sitting up, puking black liquid from chapped lips, directly into a perfectly placed bucket which rested next to the bed.

Not her bed.

No, this bed felt soft against her skin. The cotton from white sheets caressed her bare legs and she recoiled as if the fabric burned her.

She inhaled sharply. Her lungs struggled to expand as if out of practice. Burning like fire. Sending her back into the bucket. Hot tears stung her eyes and everytime her stomach lurched, it felt like a thousand knives tearing her body from the inside.

This, she thought, was one of the worst pains she could feel- her body dying and resurrecting. But she couldn't remember dying. Or what had happened before her vision tunneled and her eyes accepted the blackness of the abyss.

When her vomiting turned to dry heaves, she sat on the bed, trying to steady her blurry thoughts- trying to recall from the dark recesses of her brain, how she ended up in a strangers disgustingly clean bedroom which now stank of roses and puke.

Maybe not a stranger.

She pulled at the shirt, which sloppily hung on her body. It read "Meiori High" in black letters. She knitted her eyebrows, as if the words looked like alien text. _What is a Meiori, and why are they high?_

A knock on the oak door in front of her broke through the city silence. Ophelia tensed. She accepted she was in no position to physically attack whoever was behind the polite knocking- but at least she could make them suffer mentally.

The door cracked, "Are you awake?" The soft voice echoed. She bit her lip- as inviting as that voice sounded she could still hear the edge that threatened her like a sword. The person pushed the door open and cautiously entered. His hands mockingly up as if surrendering and a gentle smile on his face.

And Ophelia didn't care what masked he wore. She saw past those pleasant green eyes and long red hair. She knew who rested within that human meat suit- and she could feel him stir from within like a beast slowly awakening. Those golden eyes which troubled her since she was a child flashed before her.

But he approached her, with an air of neutrality. "I hope I didn't startle you," he began, "You've been out for a while-"

"Where am I?" She snapped, balling the clean, cotton, sheets in her fists.

"My guest room," a gentle laugh rocked his body, "In my apartment. In the city. In Ja-"

"Okay, I get it," She grumbled, wondering when he acquired a sense of humor, "Why am I here?"

He took a seat at the edge of the bed, and she pushed herself back. She watched a flash of hurt rush through his face; confusing her even more. "What do you remember?" His tone shifted. Sadness. Almost...pity?

She pursed her lips and tried to make sense of the jumbled images that clouded her already exhausted brain. The last thing she could clearly remember: smoking a cigarette in her run down, roach infested apartment, that wasn't so much _hers_ but the old woman who had died a few weeks before currently rotting in the floorboards. _Maybe not rotting anymore_, the thought echoed through her head. She remembered extinguishing the cigarette on the window which overlooked Kabukicho, Tokyo; she had noted how filthy it was and how she just added to it like a virus. _That's what you are right?_ Another voice in her head.

And the song. _Bung bung bung bung_ _bung_

_Bung bung bung bung bung_

_Bung bung bung. _

"I remember _Mr. Sandman_ by the Chordettes," she whispered.

He arched an eyebrow, "Can't say I've heard that one."

"Not sure if it was really playing, or…" She trailed off, slowly bringing her eyes to him again. He nodded, as if understanding her thoughts. Which she hated. She always hated how he could flash her a look and examine her face and _just know_ what she was thinking. There was another one who could do that - but she didn't hate it then, did she?

"Why don't you come out to the kitchen? I made some tea. Maybe we can figure everything out together?" He rose from the bed and walked towards the door; never losing this strange comforting air around him. She couldn't tell if it was the softness in his voice that let her drop her guard a bit, or how wide and innocent those human eyes looked as they shimmered against the darkness. Maybe it was the stories she had heard about him after he entered his human body. The love he had for his human mother. The sacrifices he made for a team of mis-matched hooligans. Or maybe when presented with the chance to make good on a threat he made nearly 100 years ago, he didn't. But she already knew she would follow him in that kitchen.

However. There was one thing she needed to settle.

"Youko…" she mumbled, playing with her fingers like she did as a child.

He stopped short, "You don't need to call me that." He turned with a smile, "Kurama is fine these days."

She nodded, "Kurama, then." She took a deep, dramatic, breath, "Are...these your boxers I'm wearing?"

Ophelia never saw the fox look completely caught off guard. He stuttered and fumbled over his words like a teenage boy. "Uhm, I-I'm afraid so…"

"Okay, okay," she shifted and felt the material of the floral mens boxers, that looked more like thin shorts on her short frame. "Why am I wearing _your_ clothes?"

Kurama scratched the back of his head and tried to look at everything else in the room, except the girl sitting on the bed. "We...Let's go talk about it over some tea. Maybe I can fill in some of the blanks."

She relented, sliding off the bed. The hardwood floor was cold against her feet as she followed Kurama down the hallway of his apartment. She admitted, silently, that his place was far nicer than hers. _Well, probably because he isn't squatting_. The walls were free of scuff marks and holes. Instead, there were scattered pictures of him in various stages of his human life: He and his mother when he was a child, with his human family, dressed in graduation garb, a diploma from a university. She paused at one small picture with a black frame. Kurama and a bunch of his new friends- or new clan. Strangers to Ophelia except for one, mean mugging fire demon scowling in the corner. And she hated the way her heart decided to jump start at the moment. And she needed to control the urge to take the picture from the wall and slam it against the floor. Let the sound of shattering glass sooth her for a moment.

_Dramatic much?_

The demon he had sent to spy on her would agree if he still had vocal cords. _Or was alive_.

Not her property. And she broke plenty of Youko- or Kurama's things when she lived under his roof the first time. _The first time suggests a second time_. And this was, she figured. Back to the beginning. Everything eventually comes full circle, like some mocking cliche.

Ophelia pulled her blue eyes from the picture, noting the weary expression she wore in her reflection in the glass, and met Kurama in his kitchen. His apartment was small. The hallway opened up to a large room: on her right, a living room with black leather couch, small coffee table, and TV. On every surface, end tables and shelves included, plants. Human world plants, she noticed. All different and vibrant colors, which enhanced the stark white walls. To her left, a small modern kitchen, with an island that separated the two rooms. Some bar stools used for seating rested next to it. She helped herself to a seat while Kurama placed a steaming cup of tea in front of her.

She watched the heat rise from the black mug in front of her dance before her eyes. She cupped the hot cup, feeling the tingles of heat vibrate against her palms. She wondered how she could both fear heat but find comfort when it singes her skin. _What could that say about you?_ She wonders to no one. Not even herself.

"So," Kurama started, leaning against the island and taking a small sip of liquid that had to be too hot. "You just remember the song? Nothing else?"

"Nothing." She grunted. And an image of her as a moody teenager flashed across Kurama's mind.

"I see..." he gently placed the mug on the table.

"What!" She ungratefully snapped. An action she immediately regretted when his eyes instinctively narrowed and she swore for a moment his eyes flashed from welcoming green to the two golden coins she was more familiar with. She felt small, like she did when he stood before her a towering silver statue red with rage.

But he softened his face; it was almost patronizing to Ophelia how he seemed to pity her. Her eyes worn with tragedies from stories she knitted in the back of her lips so they wouldn't dare tumble from her mouth. But he knew them, she could tell.

Of course he would.

She remembered seeing him with _that other guy_ when they stormed the gates of Spirit World. The first time she had seen his human form. And he gave her that same look. Like she was something to mourn.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, the boxers bunching up. "Sorry, I just felt an interrogation coming." He laughed gently, which actually startled her more than comforted. She shot him a perplexed look, "What?'

"Nothing, you just remind me of someone I know."

Her eyes drift back to the impossible to drink beverage that Kurama called tea. "So, you said you could fill in the blanks for me. Care to share? I'm shaking in suspense in your shorts."

Kurama grimaced at the image. "Right," he struggled against his brain on where to begin; trying to avoid statements that would reveal more questions than answers; and questions he was not permitted to answer. "There was a fire at your apartment complex."

"Oh," her voice trailed off. She thought this could explain the burning in her lungs. A familiar sensation.

"I got there right as the flames breached your apartment. You were in the tub…" _Which explains the lack of clothing. _" You were unconscious...from the smoke. I managed to get you out before the fire consumed the rest of the building. Unfortunately...you were the only one I could rescue."

He wasn't looking at her as he re-hashed the events that led her to his place. His words were a careful mix of slow and steady, and rapid fire. She couldn't make out if he was recalling a memory or rehearsing. And she hated that she couldn't peel back that carefully constructed blockade around his thoughts. She had to take his word; for what it was worth.

"How did you know I was there?" She questioned, tapping the glass of the mug with her fingernail. _Ding ding ding. _

He smirked- not the response she wanted. "I keep tabs on all my allies and enemies."

"Oh? Which one am I?"

"I guess that remains to be seen," he joked, but she didn't particularly find him funny. "I know you've been living in the human world for sometime. I'm actually insulted you didn't think to call or write to your old friend."

She scoffed, "I wasn't sure you wanted to hear from me. We didn't exactly end on the best terms. Up until this second, I was sure you hated me."

He looked away, towards the emptiness of his apartment. Recalling the events of their last meeting. Also fire and flames. More running from mobs that want them extinct. He remembered the events as if told to him from another being- which may be an accurate description. But he couldn't remember the last thing he said to her before they were separated. Or the way he felt when he escaped- relief? But he remembered...that for ten years after her sister died he never called her by her name. Acted as if she was a pariah. A disease.

More clearly, he remembered when they broke into Spirit World. Hiei had avoided mentioning her role in the robbery until she was in his face- deranged from years in captivity. And if his concern wasn't on his human mother, maybe he would have completed what he started all those years ago.

But that was also a long time ago. Maybe ten years ago, if he was keeping count. "I don't hate you," he assured her in a voice that suddenly didn't seem like his. "Not enough, at least, to let you burn to death."

_Wouldn't be the first time?_ "Right," she clenched her teeth. She wondered if she could believe him. He just so _happened _to know where she was hiding? And he just so _happened _to know that a fire threatened her life? And he lifted a finger, or manipulated a vine, to pull her from her watery tomb surrounded by flame? Why? _Why were you in the bathtub? _

_Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to._

"So...no survivors, huh? There were kids living there…" She said sadly, biting her bottom lip and looking back the table; eyes wilted and torn like a destroy Siberian squill.

"Oh..." Kurama felt a wave of sadness rush through him, "anyone you were close to?"

She wanted to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of that statement, but remembered that Kurama may not have been given _all the information_. She pinched her lips and grumbled, "No. I don't get close to kids."

Silence breached the two as the clock over Kurama's oven ticked down the seconds. He tapped the marble island as he worked out a deal in his head. He knew the moment her body was laid in his spare bedroom, he would once against feel forced responsibility for the girl. He was different back then; unwelcoming. She was too- albeit more troubling in the past than she was now. He watched her in his peripheral. Her eyes a magnificent pale blue that reminded him of the flowers that rested on the balcony of the spare room; no longer clouded as they were when she was child. Something about her eyes being untouched brought a sense of comfort. Ophelia looked as she did on her twentieth birthday- the last of her birthday they celebrated in the village. Icy skin like a porcelain which clashed with long black hair. Her face was worn, however. And even if she stopped aging physically at twenty, she held all the pain of a woman in her nineties. Broken memories. Filled with regret.

How he could relate.

"You can stay here," he suggested calmly, "until you get back on your feet."

_When were you ever really "on your feet? _"Really," she was shocked. "Are you sure?"

"Unless you have another place you could go?"

She rolled the question through her head. Technically, James was still around; but he lived in demon world with people she couldn't bear to face. Not right now. Maybe not ever. And then there was the issue of crossing the border. And the issue with the person in charge of that border. And while she wished for better options than playing this father-daughter role once again (a role they both failed miserably at being convincing), her legs ached, and her brain was still misfiring, and maybe she was tired of running.

But she also remembered how well it turned out last time. "Why would you do that for me?"

Kurama bitterly laughed and shook his head. "I made a promise a long time ago I didn't keep. Maybe, you're meant to be here."

_So, my apartment burnt down to clear your guilty conscience_? She wanted to say. But she caught the words before she spat them. She didn't want to push her luck. "Thank you…"

Another tense silence passed through them. She thought for a moment he was going to speak again. She felt this aura of uncertainty surrounding him; it radiated and pushed at her chest as if wanting to speak a truth he couldn't. It hung over their heads like an anvil on a weak thread.

"Ophelia…"

"Don't call me that!" She bit, narrowing her eyes at the liquid as if it had called her _that name_. "I don't go by that anymore."

"My apologies," he said almost condescendingly, curling his lips into a frown- and the aura disappeared. "What name do you go by these days? There's been so many."

Kurama wasn't exaggerating. Every lifetime, a new persona to hide behind. With it, a new name to learn and become as familiar to her as breathing. That her original name almost felt like the fake. But so many, too many, names. Too many lives. All with their own painful memories. Why add to them?

"Lia is fine," she finally took a sip; the tea still steaming as she brought it to her lips. But she remembered: the heat doesn't hurt her.

Kurama nodded, "What your sister used to call you?" A genuine smile spread across his face as he thought of his former partner. A memory that hadn't graced his dreams for decades. "Seems appropriate all things considered."

_Running from flames. _

_Back to the beginning._


	13. Living Dead Girl

Chapter 13:Living Dead Girl

Lia laid upon Kurama's guest bed, clothed in another worn out shirt from his youth and some shorts a former lady friend happened to leave behind. She didn't question where the lady friend had gone sans her shorts; she was just happy to not be wearing something that had once touched Kurama's..._thing_. She scrunched her nose in disgust. She could never wrap her head about the fascination for the silver fox; the men and women in the village tripped over themselves just to get a glimpse of him in the nude. The whole thing made Lia sick.

_Maybe 'cause you have a thing for short guys_? The thought mocked in the back of her head. She clenched her teeth so tightly, she thought she might break them. Maybe then it would _shut up_. But no luck. She could hear it laughing like an echo that bounced throughout her brain and forced a migraine to appear that no amount of aspirin could quell. She'll just suffer

And Suffer

and go on suffering.

Because death has never been a relief from that either. And considering she should be well into her nineties, with the body of a twenty-year-old, _and the mind of a moody sixteen year old_, she would be doing this solo dance with herself for….ever…

She groaned into the atmosphere and tried to direct her thoughts to another issue.

Kurama.

He never had an issue with lying to her, and why should this be any different? She brought her arms up, so that the palms of her hands were facing her. Blue veins on her wrists stared back. She brought them closer- thinking she saw what looked like two parallel scars about the length of her pinky. But they were as pale as her skin- _maybe even paler. _And couldn't tell if they were from a recent event, or just a mark that stitched her skin and veins together. Like a doll.

She dropped her arms next to her with a disjointed sign. The room suddenly felt like a coffin- small and dark as the sun broke through the horizon. It smelled like a funeral home with the plethora of flowers that decorated the inside. She jumped off the bed and headed for the door. She needed something to calm her nerves- something that tasted like poison on her tongue- and she needed a moment of reprieve from Kurama's watchful green eyes. It had already been two days since she woke up in his room with a headache and lungs filled with smoke. She had wanted to investigate the fire- but Kurama convinced her against it. For now. And while she was stuck wearing what could barely be considered clothing, she was trapped.

Or was she?

She tiptoed towards the living room; freezing everytime the wood creaked against her footing. She clenched her jaw, seemingly holding her breath until she made it down the hall. Only to round the corner and see Kurama, sitting on his couch with one leg over the other, thumbing through a book.

"Going somewhere?" He asked cooly.

Lia huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I need some air. Your entire apartment smells like flowers. It's suffocating. How do you even live like this?"

"Hm, you're the first to complain," he smiled, "The balcony is open for you to get some air. Unless that's not the real reason?"

"I need a cigarette," she said sternly.

He disappointedly shook his head. "What a terrible habit. You know, just because you are not human doesn't mean you are immune to the negative effects of nicotine."

"Well, I've been smoking since the 20s and it's the one thing that hasn't killed me yet."

Lia hated the fatherly tone in his voice. The soft look in his eyes flushed with concern. She hated the way he closed the book and placed it on the coffee table, as if every move lecturing her further.

"And how do you expect to pay for them?" He sat up straight, hands on his lap.

She arched an eyebrow. "Who said anything about paying?" He titled his head as if confused by her statement and she wanted to laugh at the sheer irony of the thieving fox being confused about stealing. "I was going to use my jedi powers to convince them to give me a pack." She dramatically waves her hand in front of Kurama, "Give me a pack of Seven stars."

"I see…" his voice trailed off- and she noted to expose Kurama to the _Star Wars_ franchise during her stay- then he nodded at her. "Dressed like that? I'm not sure you'd need to use your powers of persuasion on them."

She examined her outfit. The shorts were a bit on the tiny side, exposing nearly her entire legs. It didn't help that Kurama's shirt looked more like a dress on her small frame. Not really appropriate for the streets of Japan, she figured. "Well, once I know _exactly_ where I am, I can just transmute from the storefront to your apartment. I'll be less likely to draw attention that way."

"Are you sure about that?" He condescended, rising from the couch and walked to the island where his wallet rested next to a set of keys. He grabbed the wallet and fished through its contents. Suddenly, Lia felt like a teenager again. And even though Kurama, or James who was in charge of her at the time, didn't barter with money, they would shove gold or crystals in her hand to exchange for goods. But she was a kid back then. Not in control of her powers. She didn't _need _his help now.

"Here," he handed her 10,000 yen. She stared at the bills with her lips curled into an ungrateful frown. "That should be enough to get some appropriate clothing and satisfy your craving, for now. And," he walked behind the island and presented a small black bag to Ophelia, "This is going to be embarrassing, but I figured you couldn't continue wearing my clothes. Hopefully they fit well enough."

She wanted to punch him in his smiling face.

"I guess that solves two of my immediate problems, but how am I going to pay you back?" She pushed. She appreciated his help-sure- but she wasn't a child. And she didn't want to continue to be indebted to the fox.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm working on that for you." He added. "I have a friend who manages a bar near the neutral zone. He's in need of a bartender. I mentioned your bar experience and he wants to set up an interview as soon as possible."

Now it was her turn to smile. She cocked her head to the side and widened her innocent blue eyes. "Bar experience? Who told you that?"

Kurama paused. She could see the gears turn in his head; and while she had a sneaking suspicion who the culprit was, she wanted to hear it from his mouth. That those two spent some of their time discussing all her accomplishments and failures. "Well, is it not true?"

She picked up the bag and examined the contents. Black jeans, black tank top, a hoodie and some sneakers. At least _he_ relayed her favorite color to the fox. "It wasn't a bar," she brought her eyes to his, "It was a strip club and I was a dancer."

Kurama's cheeks flushed, and Lia swore she saw him softly gag- and only he could make such a disgusting act look soft- and she was glad that they were mutually not attracted to each other. "Okay," he tried to rack his brain for a response.

"But I mean," she shifted her hips, "how hard could it be? Just pour some beer for some drunk demons and psychics? At least I don't have to do tricks on a pole to get paid. _Not that there's anything wrong with that_, Kurama. I just got over a shoulder injury and don't want to aggravate it, you know? I mean, if he wants a stripper, I'm there. I have this awesome routine to _Closer_ by Nine Inch Nails."

She noticed his eyes flashed gold and threatening and could hardly contain her sardonic smile from inching across her face. "I don't think he is in need of a dancer," his even tone returned, "I can put the two of you in touch with each other if you are interested?"

Lia thought for a moment. She lived in human worlds for, what was it? Five years now, maybe? Time seemed to blend. One day giving into the other, like a thread with no end. And this wasn't the first time she found herself living amongst the humans; but time had certainly changed since then. A job wasn't her ideal path. _But what were you doing before_? Existing?

"That sounds fine with me," she sighs, "probably should try getting my shit together, huh?"

"No judgement, everyone goes through life differently," Kurama empathized, "what constitutes as 'together' varies. Don't be so hard on yourself."

_Easier said than done_. However, Lia actually felt better with Kurama's approval. And she was shocked how much she still yearned for that acceptance. "Thanks," she smiled warmly, "I'm just going to get changed and head out for a bit."

He nodded, "Just one more thing, before you go. You should know there's a new Spirit Detective walking around-"

"No, freaking way," Lia interrupted, "I thought the last two turned out to be psychopaths?"

"Well, one. The other one turned out to be a demon- the mazaku."

"Oh, fancy," she mocked, "So, what, Spirit World is a glutton for punishment? Don't learn from their mistakes? I mean, can relate."

Kurama laughed, "It's more of a precaution, considering how poorly lifting the barrier went. Spirit World felt this was a...compromise I guess. Keep the Spirit Defense Force on the backburner to quell concerns from the demon world, but have someone around to 'keep the peace' if you will."

Lia thought the whole lifting the curtain was a foolish pipe dream. Who would have thought humans couldn't handle the prospect that they weren't top of the food chain? That there were beings out there with special abilities, powers, and skills that could dismantle their carefully constructed society. She noted how the U.S, U.K, Russia, and some of the other 'more advance" world powers nearly shat themselves and attacked like it was a knee jerk reaction. She could have told anyone that, having lived amongst most of those countries during her long life. Or just being aware of the history of humanity. Humans kill each other for looking different. For speaking a different language. Worshipping a different God. The fact the Demon King even thought they could co-exist peacefully proved his ignorance.

And then, not even considering that demon world was bigger than Tourin, Alaric, and Gandara. That there were more territories and civilizations and demons who all had different feelings about the barrier coming down? Some who eagerly sprung the coop once the weakened gate opened only to find it difficult to assimilate- even worse, found themselves dead. Or the purist, who found the mixing of human and demons to be a direct insult to their heritage and history. How many demons were murdered at the hands of humans? How many humans from demons?

But even more ridiculous, than all of that, was the fact that some punk kid was the one responsible for the entire upheaval of the Eastern Demon Hemisphere? Did no one, not one single demon lord, question _why they were taking advice from a 16 year old kid?_.

_And that's why they will all die_.

She crushed the thought instantly. Shaking her head gently so not to alert Kurama to her fractured mind.

_Whatever. _It all worked out. Memories wiped. The re-introduction to the Spirit Detective job, now globally. Spirit World in peaceful talks with not just the Demon King, Enki, but the other demon governments which sprouted as the result of such a poorly contrived plan. Neutral zones established for the integration of spiritually aware humans and weaker demons. Everyone co-existing. Peacefully. _For Now_.

"So, anything I should know about this 'Spirit Detective?" She asked, "I mean, what's his job really? Make sure no demon in the human world steps out of line and tries to eat a buncha people?"

"That's _supposed _to be the job description," Kurama sighed heavily, "it seems he believes he's...not exactly trusting of our kind. Saburo has taken an extensive interest in those of us who have been settled in human world for quite some time. I've seen him around my job, around my family." Lia noted an edge to Kurama's tone, the way his eyes darkened at the mention of his human family, "And he's taken an interest in you."

She pursed her lips, "How do you know that?"

"I told you, I keep tabs on all my allies."

"And enemies."

He nodded, "I'm not entirely sure if his motives are pure."

"Got it," she gave him a thumbs up, "So, be sparse with using my powers."

"Exactly."

Frustrating, to say the least. But now that she was living with Kurama, for the foreseeable future, her life was no longer just hers. She noted the picture of him and his family- mother, step-brother, and step-father. She looked back at the first round of the Dark Tournament all those years ago; the ferocity of his attack once his family was threatened. She wondered where this Kurama was hiding all those years ago. Could a mother's kindness really be that powerful?

"Thanks for the heads up, Kurama," she said softly, "I'll refrain from the Jedi mind-trick." She winked and started for her room.

"One more thing," he called back, "Do avoid going to your apartment." She stopped short and bit her tongue. _He knows too much_. "I have it on good authority he's been hanging around there since the fire. It has...peaked his interest."

She turned her head, with a cheshire smile upon her face, "Noted."

* * *

Lia wondered if Kurama forgot who he was dealing with? When did she ever listen to a command from his mouth- not matter how soft his tone. Once she acquired her cigarettes, using tangible money, she immediately walked in the direction of her apartment. It was a trek. Kurama must have been lurking around close when the fire started. He was fast, but that fast?

_Someone else is that fast though_.

She wished she was in America. At least then she could light up a cigarette without getting harassed for being _rude._

The long walk offered some time to think- though she debated if that was a good thing. She tried to recall the events of that night, but only made it to the window and the song before she's met with nothing. Pure blackout. Like when she drowns herself in alcohol. Which in recent years has been a more common occurrence than she wanted to admit. Falling back into bad habits, like she did the first time she lived in human world. Numbing herself with drugs and liquid poison, and trying to see if smoking could kill _something_ like her. But none of it worked, did it? She would wake up, again, with a headache and a mistake in her bed that made her disgusted with herself a little bit more.

And boy, if her sister could see her now? Was that sacrifice even worth it? Kira must be rolling in her grave- if her grave still existed and wasn't destroyed with the rest of their previous life.

When the thoughts get this bad, Lia justified them with how unforgiving her life had been. Everyone has their coping mechanisms. Kurama threw himself into his human life. School, work, family. She assumed there was a girl or two floating around. Maybe even a healthy relationship.

She laughed to herself.

What's that?

A healthy codependency doesn't exist.

She thought, maybe that's why _he_ left without so much as a goodbye. Just walked out that door, after unleashing a slew of promises he was already in the process of breaking, and never came back.

And maybe she overreacted when she killed the spy he sent to watch over her.

Or when she burned down the apartment they were going to share.

Or when she showed up to his new home, took one of his subordinates hostage, and threatened to lay waste to anyone who got in her way.

Coping.

_How embarrassing_. That was true. James told her that much when he was forced to retrieve her from the dungeon of _Lord Mukuro's_ castle. And the green-eyed dog lectured her the entire way to Tourin where he decided to play house with Shishiwakamaru and Suzuki and Mitsuki to form a little fucked up family. That was an interesting conversation. One Shishiwakamaru refused to let her live down.

What did he say? _You're not hot enough to be that crazy_. He didn't say that a week later when Lia decided to cope on his-

Lia stopped.

Her legs burned from the speed walking, but she made it home.

Or what was left of it.

Her hands trembling, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette. It took three pulls of the lighter to ignite. She took a sharp inhale, letting the flames and smoke burn her throat and lungs. Release. How ironic that death feels like freedom? Or that she keeps finding herself drawn to things that can kill her.

She blew the black smoke towards the wreckage.

Yellow tape surrounded the square where her apartment complex once stood as a tall, dilapidated, wood and stone coffin. But it was gone. Black ash that still smoked with remnants of flame was all the evidence left.

_Did they find any bodies?_

Kurama told her no one survived.

But the paper told her they were still reported _missing_ because they found no remains.

What kind of fire can burn that hot?

Her stomach dropped. _Mourning?_ She felt hot tears break her blue eyes. She could hear the crying, in the distance. The children, still screaming as their flesh burns.

"You know, it's rude to smoke near a fire?"

She felt the air leave her body. The voice approached to her right and he smelled disgustingly human. And why did she decide to not listen to Kurama, again? She turned her head slightly, moving her eyes up the form. He was significantly taller than her, which wasn't difficult, but he was easily a head taller than Kurama's human form. He wore black slacks, a white untucked button down, and a black sports jacket- and Lia thought this guy was taking his job a little too seriously with that ridiculous costume. His brown hair was slicked back with enough gel that it shimmered in the new morning sun.

One thing she noticed, he looked painfully normal. Nothing about his face stood out. He could be easily missed in a crowd. Not traditionally handsome. Just _there_.

She clicked her tongue, "I don't see a fire."

"Well, there _was_ a fire," his lips curved into a small, sardonic grin. "Did you live here? They're looking for-"

"No." She bit back, "I'm not from here."

"Hm," he chuckled, "I could tell as much. You don't look, or sound, Japanese. Where from? America? Canada?"

She mindlessly took drags from her cigarette, focusing her eyes on the wreckage in front of her. "America," she lied, "I'm here visiting family."

"Interesting." he slittered and she clenched her jaw. A chilling wind cut through the pair; and Lia became aware that they were the only two in the area. The new morning sun hung overhead, calling those who work days to their jobs while the night workers were safely tucked in their beds. The cars offered some relief from the bitter aloneness she felt. But the fear of standing next to a threat, a human man no less, caused her hands to sweat. And if she used any of her powers, it would alert him to her- more so than, she guessed, he already was. Was he waiting for her there? Did he think she would come back? She bit her lip, _way to play into his hand._

"You know," he continues, "They still haven't found the bodies. They were about sixty units, I believe. Not all were filled, apparently. Maybe a total of 20 families? Children to. Little ones. The fire started around midnight, burned all night. But no one heard screaming. And not a single person in that apartment called 119." He paused and she felt his eyes burning into her small form. "Wonder...how that happens?"

_Maybe they were already dead?_

Lia unknowingly knitted her eyebrows together. But she could sense the voice evaporate from her mind as quickly as it came. She brought her cigarette to her lips for one more long inhale, before flicking it towards the yellow tape.

"Don't know," she shrugged, "hopefully they find out."

She caught his smile. It looked unnatural. It stretched across his face from ear to ear. Big mouth with small teeth that looked sharp like fangs. His eyes were a deep brown that almost looked back; not even the sun illuminated them. Dead soulless eyes. And if he didn't reek of human, with his fleshly pale skin that beaded with sweat, and the loud thumping of his heart as it pushed his circulatory system, she might have mistook him for a monster. She felt the warmth of his Spirit energy. Like electricity bouncing off his skin.

"Well," she shifted on her feet, "gotta get going. Got to do some touristy shit." She turned on her heels and walked away briskly.

"I'll be seeing you," he called back. And she balled her hands into two angry fists.

And thought of all the ways she could make him suffer if he wanted to give her the chance.


	14. My Curse

A/N: I just want to take a minute to thank everyone who leaves comments on this story. I literally live for them and they motivate me to keep on writing this story that I've spent sixteen years trying to write. This is a much short chapter due to...I don't know...stress? I kept trying to push for more to come out, but it seems my characters are fine with how this chapter ended.

Also, don't know if anyone is into Final Fantasy 7, but peep my profile as I have two new CloudxReno stories. I know, shameless plug. Anyway, here's chapter 14.

Chapter 14: My Curse

The bar was located in an abandoned strip mall on the outskirts of the city. The only other business not shuttered was a suspicious cleaners, which had no business being there as they lost any signs of civilization miles ago; that Lia figured was a front for nefarious deals. A ramen kart smoked on the sidewalk, close enough to the bar that she figured it doubled as the "kitchen" for the nameless establishment.

That was the other red flag, she noted.

Neon signs glowed fluorescent "Open" and "Beer" on the darkened windows, serving as the only indication of what lay in wait for her. The buildings surrounding the small gray stoned watering hole looked gutted with wooden shutters over windows and vulgar graffiti on the metal gates. Trash littered the parking lot devoid of cars. The sky was overcast with wild gray clouds rolling overhead. Lia puffed on her cigarette, tightening her new leather jacket over her body to shield herself from the relentless wind- wind that carried the smell of freshly spilled blood. Somewhere, deep within the forest that surrounded the strip mall, an entrance to demon world sparked as a daunting reminder of how thin the barrier was between living and dead.

She tossed her cigarette on the ground and stomped it with her ridiculously heeled boots which added six inches to her height. Kurama had made a snide comment as she left- _do you think you can stand eight hours in those shoes_?

_You have no idea the tricks I can do in these shoes_.

And while standing for eight hours would be a none issue for her, she realized once laying her eyes on the place she was severely overdressed for the occasion. At best, this was a dive. At worst, she should worry about catching a disease.

But no more stalling. Confidently, she walked into the bar, swinging the glass door open with more force than she intended as the wind tried to push the door back- like a warning. The smell got her first. Old liquor. Bleach. Mildew. She scrunched her nose in disgust and scanned along the walls. Cracked gray stone littered with old posters from acts long past. Some light fixtures, half of them currently illuminated. The place was a decent size for a small bar in the middle of nowhere- could maybe fit 75 people comfortably, she thought. The actual bar was the furthest from the door, stacked with liquor from wall to wall. Wooden stools lined in front of the pine. There were two large rectangle tables with additional stools for more seating and on the far left, a small stage.

The clock over the bar read "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere." Which elicited a small snicker from Lia. Despite the clock's admission, it was still too early for any human to start drowning their sorrows on a weekday.

She heard rustling from behind a door that read "Employees only" in the far back. A long string of "fucks" "shits" and "bastards" followed by a flustered man shambling out the door carrying a box rattling with beer bottles. He looked up at her, his brown eyes narrowed in an almost dangerous stare. His black hair short but falling only slightly over his eyebrows, which were curved in confused anger.

"Oh," he said, taking a few seconds to eye up the woman standing in the center of his bar, "You must be Kurama's friend?"

"I mean, I guess you could call me his friend," she frowned, "My name is Lia."

He nodded as he brought the box of bottles and placed it on the bar. "Lia, cool name. I'm Yusuke."

His reputation preceded himself, for sure. Lia knew of the famous Yusuke Urameshi- all through hear-say and tall tales of the human who went toe-to-toe with the strongest of them and won. But standing in the dimly lit bar, in a plain white t-shirt and jeans, extending his hand for her to shake it, he looked like a little boy. Too young for the lines and bruises along his face.

"Nice to meet you," she smiled.

Yusuke gestured for them to take a seat at one of the tables. "So, gotta say, I'm pretty surprised to meet one of Kurama's 'friends.' How do you two know each other?"

Lia shifted, unsure of what Kurama told the ex-Spirit Detective. Unsure of how to explain their interesting relationship. "He...saved my sister and I when I was a child." She watched as Yusuke darted his eyes around as if attempting to do the Math. "Kurama was still Youko back then, if that helps."

He nodded, but his knitted eyebrows betrayed him. "So, where have you been for the last ten years?"

She clicked her tongue- has it been that long? Since the thieving fox and fire demon stormed the Spirit World vault. She guessed it added up. "In and out of demon world. You know. Getting into trouble."

"Yeah, I know a little something about that," he laughed. She felt him relax. "Okay, so, the way I figure if Kurama vouches for you, you got the job. That guy never talks about his 'friends' so if he trusts you, so do I."

"I guess I can see the logic in that." She wasn't crazy about her reputation resting on the back of Kurama's word. She could hardly trust herself. How could he trust the woman who just walked through the door, claiming to be a friend of a friend, that had never been mentioned before a few days ago? But he sat there, leaning over the table, with his brown eyes soft and inviting.

"I just need to know two things: What does your bar experience look like and what...exactly are you?"

Maybe she read him wrong. She forced a laugh past clenched lips; it wasn't like the question hadn't been presented to her in the past. And not always from a potential friend. She could count on one hand the allies who have questioned her 'type'- the rest never lived long enough for her to answer. "A bit forward no?"

"I'm not really into sugar coating." His tone was playful, but she sensed an edge to his statement. Lurking underneath like a shark in the open sea.

"I can respect that." She ran her tongue across the back of her teeth to keep herself from answering immediately. She tapped the wooden table rhythmically as if waiting for him to continue. He arched an eyebrow, sitting up straight and crossing his arms over his chest. A smirk tugging at the side of his lips as he waited her out for a few more seconds. But if anything, Lia learned patience in her decades-long life. A strangled message echoing in the back of her mind: _let them do all the talking. _

"I don't know if anyone has told you, but you don't give off any human or demon energy- nothing."

"Aren't some demons able to hide their demonic energy?" She countered.

He thought for a moment, "Yeah, but only one off the top of my head could do it consistently. But when he's around- which isn't often- I can at least sense _something_, you know?"

He didn't have to say his name. She knew who he was referring to and it felt like rocks in her chest. Even worse, she knew what he was feeling. He felt a being living. Something alive. That breathes. Whose heart may not beat loudly, but works much the same.

Vacant. That's what they feel when Ophelia appears. Like all the air has evaporated from the room. The empty feeling in one's chest when they feel an unknown force lurking in the shadows. The fight or flight instinct that crawls up one's spine with no clear reason for the appearance. And then. Nothing. Just a soulless vessel occupying a withering meatsuit that begs the question of what rather than who. She's not a demon, they established that when she first entered Youko's camp. She certainly wasn't human, which was confirmed when through fire and flames she rose from the dirt and ash sans a beating heart and warm flesh. She wondered for years if she was dead and this was her purgatory. But she felt too much too often.

"Can I smoke in here?" She asked. Yusuke nodded, taking out his own pack of cigarettes and pushing one of the glass ashtrays in between them. She took a few puffs of the white stick, contemplating her next sentence. "Can I answer the first part of the question?"

"Shoot," he took a drag with anticipation.

"Kurama may have...misunderstood my bar experience. It happens when the information is coming from a third party source," she started, bitterly, "But I know how to open a bottle of beer, smile at asshole customers, and mix a few shots."

Yusuke shrugged with a nod, "Sounds about the description of the job. We got both demons and humans here- may not look like it, but this place can get busy."

"I'm a quick learner."

"And rowdy."

"I worked as an exotic dancer in bumblefuck U.S.A; bunch of overcompensating assholes who felt their guns were an extension of their dicks." She exhaled black smoke and noticed that Yusuke's eyes lit up.

"Ah!" he laughed, "I was wondering what the deal was with the heels. Did you double as a dominatrix?"

"Sometimes," she smiled, "You don't know how many guys want their junk crushed under 900 dollar shoes."

"Not my thing but, I don't judge," he snorted. "Well, sounds like you are a good fit for this place, Lia. But, as for my second question-"

"Damn, I thought the whole 'I used to strip' would have distracted you?" She sassed.

"I admit, you almost had me there," he ashed his cigarette, his smile still pleasant but she felt the warning underneath his tone, "But I don't distract that easily."

"I see that, like a dog with a bone huh?"

"For better or worse."

She sighed, "Does it matter what I am?"

"Honestly, probably not, but the fact you're so defensive about it got me thinking," he points to his head, "And I don't really think that often."

Lia rolled her eyes. But she could understand the curiosity. That right now, his instinct warned him of a threat. But he can't visualize the threat. The person sitting in front of him looks like a woman in her early twenties with blue eyes resembling the ice keeping his beer cold. She's small, despite her ridiculous footwear, and petite. With a frame built for a runner as opposed to a fighter. Physically, she doesn't seem like a threat. But behind those eyes, he sees nothing. He feels even less. Instinct and logic tearing through his head; and Yusuke was always one to follow the former than the latter.

"Honestly," she said finally, "I don't know what I am. As far as I can tell, I am a demon. I have abilities that exceed human skill. I haven't aged since I was twenty-three. But I am aware of the vibes I give off and I can assure you I am hardly a threat; especially compared to someone like you."

"Oh? What do you know about me?" He asked darkly.

"Word travels faster than you think in demon world," she tapped her cigarette against the ashtray, "I've heard of the great Yusuke Urameshi. You're the new bedtime story for tiny demons."

She slowly brought her cigarette to her mouth, wrapping her lips around the stick like a suggestion. Her eyes twinkled with some breath of life. Flashing to a deeper blue that had Yusuke _almost _impressed. Her black hair was tied in a high ponytail, giving him a full view of the slim pale face with hidden scars which laid underneath like a roadmap of all her mistakes. And he could relate. The amount of times his mouth ran faster than his fist. Or he charged into a fight with half his brain ravaging like an animal, and the other half trying to find a center between beast and human.

"You don't get bonus points for flattery," he said sharply, "I just want to make sure you're not gonna turn heel and I'll have to bury you in the backyard of this shithole."

She unleashed a bitter laugh through her exhale of black smoke that made her look like a demonic chimney. "I can't promise I would stay buried for long."

That got his attention. He sat up straight, eyebrow arched. But she couldn't sense an ounce of defensiveness. Instead his frown curved into a smile, a sardonic one. One that drips with acid and understanding? She heard the rumors; a boy that can't stay dead. How fun, to meet a girl with the same problem.

"Now I'm curious," he leaned over the table, as if trying to close the distance between them to whisper a secret. She couldn't sense his rising demon energy, the same way it would tickle another foe. She could feel a thickness in the air. Like two opposing magnets struggling to fit. That push and pull. Heavy like hundred pound weights in her stomach.

She mimicked his movement, both cigarettes still lit with back smoke drifting over them like a cloud. "No ones been able to tell me what I am. Maybe you could practice your observation skills and tell me when you figure it out."

Yusuke couldn't tell from her soft voice if this was a threat, or a dare, or something dangerous way of flirting. But he felt captivated by this enigmatic entity that suddenly appeared in the center of his bar like a phantom. Who seemingly had a past connected to another one of his more secretive friends. And he wondered if he even cares anymore about _what_ Lia was instead of _who_ she was. But that instinct gnawed at the back of his head. Chewing and sputtering like a rabid dog. Foaming at the mouth for answers to questions she dodged with feminine effortlessness.

"I think I'll take that challenge."


End file.
